Harry Potter and the Fallen Angel
by Veriseple
Summary: Harry Potter certainly has a power that the Dark Lord knows not, but he is not the reason Voldemort died Halloween of 1981. He never makes it to the Dursleys instead being taken in by a powerful and mysterious woman who calls him her Master. What will become of young Harry Potter. And how will this change the world as it is known? Grey!Harry Slytherin!Harry MoD!Harry
1. Chapter 1: How it Begins

_Godric's Hollow. Halloween. 1981_

Children were dressed as witches, ghosts, goblins, and devils laughed as they carried bags of candy while behind them the significantly taller figures of parents followed at a respectable distance quite willing to let the children have their fun. A few of the adults even enjoying some of the yearly festivities themselves by donning their own masks although few put as much thought into their own attire as their children did. Still with the masks on and the darkness and the mist that had crept into the village it made things more spooky than usual, something the older children in their teens took no end of delight in as they attempted to scare their younger numbers.

Amidst the fog a half dozen figures walked with purpose almost completely unnoticed. Only one adult and two children ever caught a glimpse. The adult who was farther away from the six figures simply assumed they were other parents, albeit ones that looked like they'd all dressed up. As for the two children one simply giggled and ran amidst the figures. One of the adults, all of whom were wearing long robes, five black, and one white and of those four wore masks. One of the masked black robed figures seemed about to do something as he was halfway in the process of drawing a long slender stick from his pocket. He was stopped by another of the black robed and masked figures who grabbed his wrist and quietly whispered the words.

"Wait until our Lord has finished and then you can."

This seemed to settle the man and the six walked forward moving past the second child that would see them that night. A little girl dressed as a witch stood on a corner, a plastic orange pumpkin half filled with candy held in one hand, a stick that she'd found on the street in her other, a wand if you had the imagination to see it as such. The six though walked past without sparing her a glance all except for the lone white robbed figure who wore the same silver mask as the others. The girl could not help but feel that perhaps she had best go and find her mother and father. There was something about those masks that did not make her feel good.

The wedge of people stopped in the center of a circular courtyard at which there were four houses, one to each point of the compass, the narrow road they had come from being at the point that would be South-West. The lead figure reached up and removed the hood of his black robes revealing a man with a snake like face. His nose was almost impossible to discern, just two slits and a slight bump, he had no hair on his head and his eyes seemed dark as he breathed in deeply of the foggy air. He looked at each of the houses in turn while behind him none of the other five moved or made a noise. When the snake like man had completed looking at each there was the sound of movement and five of the six figures instantly reacted each drawing sticks and pointing them with purpose at the noise.

The noise proved to be a pudgy man with rat like features, he seemed to flinch at being seen, at having those sticks, those wands, for that was what they were, pointed at him but he moved forward quickly as if he was afraid something bad would happen to him if he did not move quick enough. It wasn't a run, but it was rather a very quick shuffle as the man did not seem possessed of enough courage to walk with normal dignity in the situation. All five black robed figures that had their wands drawn on him, and the one white robed figure that did not, watched him approach. As soon as he was close he dropped to his knees in front of the bald snake like man and could not stop quivering in terror.

"I am here... I am here my Lord."

The individuals were silent before the snake like man suddenly raised his wand upwards and away from the man and following his lead the other four shifted their wands away, some simply lowering them, others putting them away inside their robes. The white robed figure who had not drawn a wand at all simply stood there.

"It is time Wormtail. Tell me where the Potters are hiding here."

The kneeling man shook his head repeatedly in understanding and took a breath to try and steady himself, it didn't work of course. "The Potter's cottage in Godric's Hollow can be located at the northern most part of the court." As soon as the words ere finished all six of the robed figures white and black alike realized there were not four but five houses around the court, and that the one they had thought was the northern most was no longer so. Instead now a quaint little two story cottage was now the northern most of the buildings. If one looked close there was the briefest of movements of drapes being pulled shut right as it became visible.

The snake man laughed a cruel laugh that was echoed by the black robbed figures. Three of them laughed with the voices of men, one had the cackling high pitched laugh of a woman. With a smile he turned to the cottage and studied it for a moment before looking over his shoulder. "Prepare for anything. Kill any that try to escape but leave the boy for me. And do not be surprised if Dumbledore appears hear and now in the final hour." The black robed and masked individuals all bowed before scattering and moving to surround the house leaving the woman in white, the bald snake man, and the still kneeling mouse man. The snake man looked down at the quivering man who had told him where to find the house that had just appeared and spoke with a voice quite cruel.

"I want you to watch as I kill your friends Wormtail." Then he looked to the woman in white who had remained by his side the whole time never moving except to follow him. "I would have you follow me since tonight the Master of Death will be revealed. If you bear witness and proclaim it to be true then none shall dare protest your words. I would have all the world know of my power when this night is done." The woman in white only nodded and followed behind the black robed snake man as he strode towards the house. Before he could get to it the door burst open and a tall man with messy black hair came out brandishing a wand at the two of them. The snake man was forced to summon a barrier as a red spell nearly hit him. Grinning cruelly he slashed out with his own wand and so began the duel in the court.

The two men went back and forth for almost two minutes trading spells while from within the house the sound of a child crying could start to be heard. The woman in white did nothing as the messy black haired man and the bald snake man traded spells back and forth as they dueled. Each of them was forced to their best as they dodged and weaved and cast spells of great and terrible power. Overhead the sky was torn asunder as it began to rain and storm. The black haired man transfigured the cobblestone street into mighty golems that did battle for him even as he cast dozens of spells any one of which could kill a man. As for the snake man he conjured massive serpents that did battle with the golems made of brick. And so the duel, no the battle, raged on. But a victor had to be decided and so it was that with a surprise trick that ended with the man with the messy black hair raised high into the air impaled on a spear of ice that was risen from the ground. He died as it pierced his heart and then remained their held aloft in the court as his blood ran down the ice.

The bald snake man laughed a little but did so alone as the figure in white, who was now certainly a woman given how the fabric of her robes clung to her figure and showed what a figure it was. Even with only drenched white robes to give the barest of hints as to her figure the woman in white had a figure that would rival the most beautiful women in the world. And without further circumstances both proceeded into the cottage while outside the dead man was left where he was no more thought given to him. The ground floor was abandoned, things scattered clearly knocked over in haste, it looked as if two people had been sitting down to dinner, a romantic single candle still burned in the center of the table. From upstairs though came crying of a child loudly and the much more muffled sounds of a woman's crying that she tried to restrain. The man led the way up the stairs and the woman in white, now mysteriously dry once more as if the rain had never touched her, followed.

They came to a door and the man opened it revealing a red haired woman of noted beauty standing infront of a child's crib. The entire room was clearly a nursery. The woman held in a sob.

"Take me instead. Kill me but spare him."

"Foolish girl get out of the way."

Please spare him kill me instead."

"Your fate has been decided you will have another purpose."

"Trade me for him. SPARE HIM!"

The woman begged the snake like man even as she shakily held a wand she seemed ready to defend her child but after the display in the court outside, was there even any point? The woman had instead decided to try and bargain for her child's life. So distraught was she, and so consumed was he, that neither noticed the woman in white finally moving around from behind the man in the black robes to look at the crib and the crying child within. The woman in white reached up and removed her mask just as the man in the black robe in a sudden movement raised his wand and roared out.

"AVADA KEDAVRA!"

Terrible green magic launched from his wand and hit the red haired woman square in the chest and as soon as it did she fell forward hitting the floor completely dead. The snake man smiled and stepped over her corpse to reach the crib and the crying black haired child within that was growing quiet at long last as he looked up at the woman in the white robes. The woman smiled as she looked at the child and whispered.

"This is He."

The black robed man nodded. "A shame, his father's family was powerful and his mother skilled, any other child and perhaps he might have had a place in my ranks but he must die."

He raised his wand just as quickly as before and roared out the words just as before.

"AVADA KEDAVRA!"

Before the terrible green energy could strike the child though the woman's hand shot out and blocked its course. One of the darkest curses to ever be created was stopped cold for the first time by the dainty feminine hand.

"You shall not harm Him."

The black robed man whirled leveling his wand at her.

"What is the meaning of this?!"

The woman smiled a smile without warmth as she lifted the child from the crib and held him to her, he was silent now, his cries from before gone even despite the fact his mother's body was by now cold on the floor below him, but his eyes were only on the black haired and white robed woman.

"I told you when I found you Tom. I search for my Lord and Master. And I have finally found him after all these centuries."

The pale snakelike man could not help but grow a little more pale as he heard those words before he reached a decision his spell shot another burst of that terrible green magic even as his mouth uttered the words. Her free hand, not the one that held the child, but now held a massive axe that she had produced as if from nothing caught the terrible magic on the black axe's side. But rather than simply stop the magic she struck it back at him as if she were a baseball player swinging a bat at a ball. The result of his own magic striking him tore the room apart in an explosion of magical power. The walls were blasted outward and in the aftermath the cottage's second floor had a large crater as if a bomb had gone off ripping off the entire roof and much of the walls. The woman in white simply stood there in the wreckage unharmed holding the child to her with one hand while the other held the enormous axe one handed. Walking forward she lightly jumped down to the ground outside the house just as the black robed figures came running. One took a single look before raising his own wand and casting the same terrible spell that Voldemort had so favored.

Once more the axe was used like a baseball bat to send the magic back to its source. The man hit the ground instantly dead. The mask went flying revealing the man's aristocratic face and long blond hair. The other four were frozen as the woman in white holding the infant and axe looked to each of them. "Your Lord is dead. Mine is not. Pursue me at your peril." The three remaining figures in black stood there silently frozen as did a fourth pair of eyes. In the shadows of a nearby house a newly arrived elderly man with a magnificent grey beard had tears running down his face as he watched the woman in white walk off with the child.

Behind her was left the shocked and stunned Death Eaters. Peter Pettigrew, the sniveling rat like man remained where he had been kneeling since the start of the fight between James Potter and Lord Voldemort. When the first soft crack of apparation beyond the wards of Godric's Hollow filled the air as a one the Death Eaters vanished apparating away, only Pettigrew, still frozen in shock and terror remained alive. James Potter was still skewered twenty feet in the air on the slowly melting spear of ice. Lily Potter lay dead in the remains of the nursery. Lucius Malfoy's body was untouched, none of his fellow death eaters having retrieved it.

And as for the Dark Lord himself nothing remained not even the robes he had been wearing. All of this left for the Aurors to find as the woman smiled downward at the infant boy held lovingly and protectively in her arms as she walked off into the night.

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P.S. AUTHOR'S NOTE: So this is my second attempt at a HP/Overlord crossover. The basis of this idea was actually given to me by one of my reviewers of my first crossover Harry Potter and the Great Tomb of Nazarick. In this crossover I will be focusing primarily on Albedo and a reincarnated Aniz Ooal Gown who has reincarnated through magic into Harry Potter. If there will be any appearances by the other NPC's it will be late into this story as I do not intend for any of them to appear for a very long time if at all. The same should be said for Nazarick itself. While there will be the presence of a Guild Base it will not be Nazarick. Still I don't want to give too many things away. Let it simply be said that this will be heavily AU that features major political aspects of the HP Fannon. Powerful political houses and intrigue will abound. Harry will have a romance option. I'll be creating a poll eventually for people's opinions on who that should be as I am as yet undecided. I shall attempt to give all the contenders their chances. (I do intend for it to be a girl.) However more than one girl may win as while I am not opposed to Harry falling in love his marriage will be a political one. As always keep your reviews and messages coming. Constructive criticism is always appreciated.


	2. Chapter 2: A Sirius Situation

Sirius Black stood in his office in the Ministry of Magic's Auror Division. It was well past the end of day, a clock on the wall showed it was quarter to ten. Most Ministry personnel went home by five to be home in time to have dinner with their families. While it was true members of the DMLE and its Auror division stayed all hours of the night but that was a fact of their work and schedules as the Ministry's law enforcement divisions had to be able to respond at a moment's notice. Sirius though had ended his shift almost two hours previous and was still leaning against his desk staring at his wall. An opened and mostly empty bottle of Ogden's Finest sat on his desk next to a glass with two fingers of the potent wizarding liquor.

THe object of his focus however was not his glass and drink but rather his wall. It was a wall covered covered to the brim with notes and pictures and newspaper articles. A large map of the world had pins pushed into it at numerous places across the globe each with a colored flag depending on the nature of the pin's indicator, some even having more than one colored flag. In the center of the wall that was devoted to a single purpose were two wizarding photographs. The left showed a black and white photo of an infant presently sleeping in a crib.

On the right was a picture of a beautiful black haired woman in a white dress standing next to a young Gellert Grindewald himself. The picture itself was ancient as it dated back to Grindewald's earliest days of his rise to power. Red strings converged outward from the picture of the woman who seemed to perpetually smile even though she was clearly not pleased her picture had been pierced by several pins. At the bottom of the picture was had written the year 1906.

Sirius was unmoving his eyes narrowed and focused on the wall as he reached for his glass as there was a knock on his office door. He didn't immediately respond but there was a knock again and with a sigh and he flexed his wrist as his wand shot from his Auror issue wrist holster to his hand. Not even looking at the door he pointed his wand at it dispelling the magic that had kept it locked before returning his wand smoothly to its holster even before the doorknob had turned and the door opened.

In through the door walked Frank Longbottom, the deputy head of the Auror division for England's Ministry. Frank took one look from Sirius to the wall and to Sirius's desk and sighed. Walking forward he took the glass from Sirius's desk and raising it swallowed its contents before looking around the room. Apart from a few pictures on the desk and a name plaque outside on the door there was precious little that was not work related.

Sirius was one of the Auror division's most effective field agents. His singular focus to his work made him willing to go above and beyond the already high levels of dedication other Aurors applied to their work. But then most other Aurors had families. Sirius did not. Frank gave his coworker, subordinate, and friend a look and put a hand on Sirius's shoulder and gave a firm squeeze of sympathy.

"Come on Sirius, go home, get some sleep. And don't bother coming in tomorrow. You need a day off. You haven't taken one in three years."

Sirius gave a grunt and was silent for a moment before standing. "And the one day I take a break was the last time anyone saw that foul bitch. If I had been on duty..."

Frank was quick to cut Sirius off.

"If you had been on duty you'd probably be dead. You may be one of our best but you and I both know that four Aurors and twenty DMLE officers were there. Three, and none of them Aurors, walked away from that bloodbath."

Sirius turned his head to look at Frank for the first time since he had walked in.

"You think I don't know that? That BITCH has my godson! She has HARRY! It's been nine years, six months, and eight days since she walked into Godric's Hollow with Voldemort and she took him! I am his Godfather! I am supposed to be raising him as James and Lily wanted me to! Instead he's somewhere out in the world with that foul bitch and half of Voldemort's old forces raising him to be the next Dark Lord! You know as well as I do that the only ones of Voldemort's death eaters we haven't managed to put in prison are the ones that are surrounding him and that whore!"

Sirius suddenly and roughly took the glass from Frank's hand and filled it from the bottle of Ogden's Finest. Tossing it back he swallowed before giving a growl of anger that turned into a roar of frustration and he threw the now empty glass at his office wall. The glass shattered and Frank produced his wand from his own Auror issue wrist holster and pointed it at the remains of the glass and cast a silent _Reparo_ spell. Instantly the magic undid the damage of Sirius's frustration fueled throw of anger as the glass now whole once more sat on the floor of Sirius's office. Frank just sighed as he bent down to grab the glass and set it back on Sirius's desk before closing the bottle and finally looking at his friend once more.

"Look, Dumbledore thinks Harry might show up soon. You know he's working just as much as you and while you may not like him anymore you know as well as I do that he's working just as hard at getting Harry back as anyone else. Anyways, Dumbledore checked and it looks like Harry's still on the books to attend Hogwarts this next year. He's not too sure what's going to happen given how long the boy's been away but this may be the first time we see Harry although he's not expecting the woman to give him up without a fight. Still he may turn up at Hogwarts. That may be our chance to try and undo some of the damage and get her away from him assuming we can wrangle it. We'll see what happens if and when he turns up at school."

Sirius looked at his friend and superior with the first look of hope in his eyes that Frank had seen in a year and a half. Giving a weak nod Sirius walked towards his office door grabbing his coat on the way out. Frank followed him out stopping only to glance back at one of the pictures on Sirius's desk that showed James, Lily, and Harry Potter all together posing for a photo. The death of his best friend and his friend's wife and the kidnapping of their son, all because Sirius's other now former friend, Peter Pettigrew had betrayed them to Voldemort had changed the man permanently.

Before, Sirius had been a mischief minded prankster at heart though his loyalty for his friends had never known any bounds. After the events of Godric's Hollow Sirius had lost much of the man he was before. He rarely smiled and almost never laughed. His pranks had vanished within weeks of the events and not been seen again in all the years since. It was like a part of Sirius had died the day James and Lily had. All that was left was the hardened soul of the Lord Black. Sirius had taken up his family's mantle and dedicated his life ever since to finding his godson. A task at which he was still unsuccessful.

With a final sigh Frank closed the door and made his way down to the Ministry entrance where the fireplaces would take him home by Floo to his wife, son, and daughter as well as of course his grandmother. Frank could understand Sirius's obsession though. Particularly since there were days when his own wife, also an Auror was almost as bad as Sirius given she was the missing Harry Potter's godmother. Luckily those days were rarer and rarer over the years when it became clear that Harry would not be easily found. Voldemort had died that Halloween night in Godric's Hallow but for those whose lives had been the most closely touched there had been no relief at the death of the Dark Lord.

Sirius and Frank parted ways at the fireplaces that were the entrance to the Ministry. Frank walked to one and taking a small pinch of floo powder tossed it into the flames and spoke the words. "Longbottom Manor." Sirius meanwhile had taken a pinch of floo powder at the next fireplace over and tossing it into the flames spoke the words. "12 Grimmauld Place."

A short floo journey later Sirius was stepping out of the fireplace of his family home. At his the chandelier in the kitchen over the table lit up each of the candles on the wrought iron chandelier lighting at his presence. A moment later a plate appeared at the table as if from nothing, the work of his as yet unseen house elf Kreacher. Tossing his coat onto the table Sirius took a seat and ate in silence. When he was done the plate and silverware disappeared as he got up and walked out of the kitchen. He passed the portrait of his mother but she said nothing as she watched her son the Lord of house Black walk past her on his way to the stairwell. Her eyes followed him though in brooding silence as he made his way up the stairs.

As he was making his way to the stairs he passed an open doorway that allowed access to a room much like his office at work, only unlike the single wall covered in all kinds of notes, newspaper articles, pictures, drawings, and every other assorted thing possible, and of course the map of the world. This room was entirely devoted to the same on a much larger scale with every wall and even the ceiling given over to trying to piece together anything, anything at all, that could help him find, and reclaim, his godson, the child of his best friend who he was failing in his duty of raising and protecting just as he had been since that Halloween night many years before.

Sirius made his way to the master bedroom of his home, upon entering he made his way to the bed where he took a seat and pulled off the polished black dragone leather boots he wore. His Acromantula silk vest followed and after it all his other clothes before laying down on his bed. On his nightstand a bottle of Ogden's Finest, and a glass waited but though his eyes turned to the side it wasn't the bottle his eyes were on but rather a picture of infant Harry Potter, a copy of the same picture that was permanently affixed to his wall in his office at work.

Taking a deep sigh and rolled over onto his back and pulled the sheets and covers over him and managed to drift off to sleep quietly and quickly where he began a dream of reuniting with Harry a few months from now on the train platform next to the Hogwarts Express. It was a dream and a fantasy, but what Sirius did not realize when he would awake in the morning was that his dream was true even if the events would not be quite the same as the fanciful and happy vision he saw in his mind as he slept.


	3. Chapter 3: The Hogwarts Express

**Author's Note: Hello again everyone. This is my second Harry Potter/Overlord fanfic and as some of you have already commented it is probably superior to my first attempt. Several people have asked what my intended plans are for Harry Potter and the Great Tomb of Nazarick and I can tell you that I have not abandoned it but it is on a sort of hiatus since I am effectively paralyzed in regards to it via a mixture of indecision on how to proceed combined with writer's block. In the meantime I am working on this story that I do not have writer's block on. To answer a few other questions this will largely just feature Albedo regarding the NPC's. I won't say none of them will appear but at this time I have no intents of introducing any of them. Also for any of you that have guessed it this is a reincarnated Ainz story. As always I appreciate your messages and reviews. Some I will reply to via messages while the ones I think will be useful for others to read about I will answer here in my Author's Note section. Anyways thanks to all my loyal readers including those who have come back to me after reading my previous fanfic. And please enjoy my latest offering. As for your questions of how did Ainz reincarnate and how did Albedo arrive in our world you will simply have to wait.  
**

 **P.S. One thing I will tell you all is regarding the story's name. According to Overlord cannon Albedo despite being racially a succubi is in lore an angel that Ainz Ooal Gown (the guild) captured and a mixture of tortured/bound into being a demon. Since demons are fallen angels Albedo's true form while still being Gorilla-ish per certain comments between her and a certain flat chested vampiress, I will attempt to draw my own compromise between this lore and what my vision is.**

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Platform 9 3/4's was filled with more people than it had been since the start of Voldemort's war. A great many were students and families, a number that was finally starting to rise after years of attendance numbers being low because so many English magicals had been killed or moved abroad thanks to Voldemort. With the first generation of children born since the Dark Lord's defeat finally attending Hogwarts there was a surge of individuals on the platform though it was still not the same crowd that had filled the platform before Voldemort's rise or the even larger crowds that had filled the platform prior to Grindewald's wars.

Of course not all of the people on the platform were students, parents, and family members. Every year the DMLE always had a few officers on hand just in case although almost every in year it proved unnecessary. This year though there were more than the normal two on duty DMLE officers. Now there were more than ten law enforcement agents on hand, two were watching the entrance while the others were scattered among the crowd. There were even two Aurors on site.

The precaution was due to Albus Dumbledore's belief that Harry Potter would be attending Hogwarts this year. His parents had enrolled him from birth even before he'd ever proven he was a wizard. Given the magical competence and proficiency of both of his parents few if any thought their son would be a squib or non-magical at the time. Over a decade later even though he had been missing and presumed kidnapped for almost ten years, his name had never been taken off the school's registers. Magic controlled and dictated those rosters and if a student had no intention of attending their name would be removed. A school owl had even been sent out with his acceptance letter although unlike most upcoming students his had only read his name and not listed his location like all the other acceptance letters.

It was nearing the departure time, a fact not missed by the fact that the Weasley family was coming through the archway onto the platform. Every year since their eldest son had started attending Molly Weasley and her children had, at Dumbledore's request, arrived at the next to the last minute. This was because they would take the long way through King's Cross and would loudly talk about specific magic keywords that would attract the attention of any muggleborn first years and their parents that had forgotten the instructions on how to board the platform. Normally such an act would be a breach of the Statute of Secrecy but they were always followed by an Obliviator that would address any situations that arose and ensure the Statute was maintained. It was a compromise that ensured the law was observed but also helping any forgetful individuals that were in need of help.

It was a minute left to the departure now and the platform was emptied of students who were now aboard the train leaning out of windows speaking and waving to their parents or otherwise on board meeting fellow students and settling in for the eight hour train ride. With the eyes of most of the adults and students busy only the DMLE agents and Aurors noticed at first the individuals emerging from the archway. Instantly the DMLE agents drew their wands as they spotted the recognizable faces of the former Death Eaters Augustus Rockwood and the Carrow twins Alecto and Amycus. The former Death Eaters each drew their wands and an armed standoff was commenced as more DMLE agents and the Aurors raced overs joining the ready to erupt conflict.

The former Death Eaters were not alone though as more individuals were emerging from the archway. First came Narcissa Malfoy with her son Draco. Narcissa unlike her deceased husband had never been a Death Eater but when Lucius Malfoy's body had been discovered at Godric's Hollow along with a frozen with terror Peter Pettigrew by the first Aurors to respond it had marked a change for the Lady Malfoy. For the next two years she run her husband's estate and raised her son as she groomed him to his father's roll but the social stigma had never worn off and by her son Draco's third birthday she had liquidated all the assets of House Malfoy inside of England and moved abroad with her son.

As for Draco though physically he bore a resemblance to his father he was silent as he watched the armed standoff though he did glance behind him and move to the side. An action that trained several DMLE wands on him and his mother who followed, but made room for the next individuals to emerge. Three more children came next. Two were the Carrow twins, Hestia and Flora who bore a striking resemblance to their aunt Alecto who was their father's younger sister. The two moved out of the way to stand behind their uncle Amycus, their father's younger brother, and much like Draco before them watched the standoff with silent watchful expressions that betrayed nothing. After them came an emerald eyed black haired boy dressed in immaculate Acromantula silk robes. It took all of one and a half seconds before an Auror was shouting at the DMLE agents to stand down.

By now the standoff had attracted the attention of both parents and train passengers alike who were all now watching the events with rapt attention. Finally one final figure stepped through the archway. A raven haired woman wearing a black dress of exquisite beauty. Like the robes of the long missing and newly found Harry Potter who had emerged before her, the dress was clearly made of the finest Acromantula silks. Silver filigree was embroidered into the silk creating delicate and beautiful designs, specifically around the woman's hips where the dress had been designed to look as if wings were folded around the woman's body although why the wings were placed there was anyone's guess.

Still she walked through, a smile on her face and hands respectfully clasped in front of her as she moved to stand behind the young but regal Harry Potter who was watching the sea of eyes looking at him with shock and awe. He looked at each of his companions then at the DMLE agents and Aurors, and finally at the families and students beyond before clearing is throat and speaking.

"I do believe we are delaying the train. If you would please let us through my fellow students and I need to board so we can leave for Hogwarts on time."

There was a few long moments of silence before the on duty commander, Frank Longbottom looked down at the young Harry Potter with surprise. He wasn't surprised at the presence of the former Death Eaters. Rockwood had been the only one of Voldemort's inner circle to defect but plenty of the lower rank shock troops like the Carrow twins had sided with the black haired woman standing behind Harry in the aftermath of Voldemort's death. Narcissa Malfoy's presence was a surprise although if he was being totally honest with himself he couldn't say he should have been surprised. Malfoy had been dead and cold by the time the Auror's arrived on scene and arrested Peter Pettigrew and gotten his account of what had happened.

Narcissa had been forced to pay several fines and penalties for her husband's actions but the Malfoy vaults had been secure enough to pay those. The social destruction though had been far harder on her as all of wizarding culture no matter what side or faction had ostracized her. She had ended up leaving the country entirely though Frank was still surprised that she had ended up with Harry Potter.

As for the situation though it needed to be addressed. Frank squared his shoulders and glanced over each of the adult wizards and ranked them in an order of who to subdue first to control the situation if a conflict was started.

"I am sorry Mr. Potter but you will need to step to the side. These individuals are known enemies of the State and are wanted by the Ministry. Once they have been taken into custody you and your... companions will be allowed to board."

Frank had been expecting one of the former Death Eaters to jump the wand at that point and start shooting off spells but while each of the three at the front had a wand drawn none of them so much as blinked at Frank's words. It was almost as if they had been expecting such. Behind Harry the black haired woman was still smiling as she watched them all, but Frank's eyes went to Harry and almost bulged out of his eye sockets as he spotted a ring on Harry's finger. His face ran pale and he felt a chill run through him exactly at the same moment that Harry spoke again.

"As the Head of Very Ancient and Most Noble House of Potter I declare each of the individuals with me to be my servants and under the full legal and magical protection of my house. Their past crimes are here by washed away for the duration of their service to me and my house. So Mote it Be."

He produced his wand as he spoke the final words and there was a bright flash of light. When Frank's vision returned he knew the worst possible outcome had just occurred as each and every one of the individuals, from the adults, to the children, and even the woman in the back now had the crest of House Potter on their robes. His wand was beginning to shake ever so slightly as he lowered it. His fellow Auror's wand was already down and following their lead the DMLE agents were doing the same.

Harry was very clearly wearing the Head of House ring for House Potter. Furthermore clearly he was an emancipated Lord. Frank wasn't sure how but as the Lord of the Most Ancient and Very Noble House of Longbottom he was intimately aware of all the legal abilities he had at his disposal as the Lord. And he knew the full ramifications of Harry's words. The Very Ancient and Most Noble Houses had existed since before the time of the Wizengamot and as such were exempt from a great many of the laws that affected all other wizarding houses. Even the Ancient and Noble Houses were fully bound by the laws of the Ministry but the Very Ancients and Most Nobles of which there were very few left had near absolute power. Any vassal or servant of the house was exempted from all but the most heinous of crimes. The Unforgivables were of course punishable but few other things were so long as they did not affect another Very Ancient and Most Noble house. As Harry and his followers had not crossed the line with Frank's own house he could do nothing. There were a few Heirs and Heiresses on the train but like Frank there was nothing he could do. Gritting his teeth he stepped to the side and looked to the DMLE agents.

"Let them pass and put away your wands."

There were more than a few rumbles of murmurs from the crowd of parents behind him and he could hear the whispered conversations but there was nothing Frank could do now that the young Harry... no the young Lord Potter had pulled the Ministry's fangs. He idly wondered if perhaps this whole thing down to the last detail had been planned. Lord Potter could certainly have declared his followers to be under his house's protection at any point between attaining his Lordship and his arrival here but he had done so now and publicly no doubt for the shock and awe value. Harry Potter had returned to the wizarding world of England but Frank could not say that his arrival was for the better.

Ten minutes later Harry, Draco, and the Carrow girls were in one of the forward compartments on the Hogwarts Express. Harry's presence meant that the door to the compartment bore the crest of House Potter so that everyone on the train knew exactly where he was, on the plus side unless a Lord or Heir, or someone that served his House attempted to open the door, no one else could enter. So far no one had although there had been near constant knocking that the four had ignored from the start. Harry was presently in the the opening turns of a chess match with Draco while the girls were both reading when the door opened and all four first years looked up to see the son of the Auror they had dealt watched before, now his son was standing in the entryway. Harry's eyes flicked from Neville Longbottom to the heads of more than a few other students peaking around the open doorway in the hallway then back to Neville before finally speaking.

"You can come in just shut the door behind you. I don't want to be gawked at any more than I already have."

Neville nodded and stepped inside and closed the door behind him much to the dismay of the students behind him, more than one of whom had the recognizable red hair of a Weasley. Turning around after the door was closed Neville stood there watching the others. He was only an eleven year old boy the same age as the other four already in the compartment but he was also the Heir to an Very Ancient and Most Noble House and his father had raised him well. He stood there with dignity and contained pride in his lineage. His clothes were not on the same level as Harry's but he still wore robes that were above the standard robes worn by the average student and put him on par with Draco Malfoy as well as Hestia and Flora.

"Lord Potter my name is Neville Longbottom, Heir to the Very Ancient and Most Noble House of Longbottom. Neither of us remember it but we have met before when were were infants. I don't know if you are aware but your mother was my Godmother and my mother is your Godmother."

The two girls and Draco all leaned back in their seats casually letting Harry speak though they silently watched and listened. Harry was silent for a brief moment as he studied Neville before giving a nod and replying.

"I know. Albedo and her... my followers have been very thorough with my education up until this point. All my House's alliances and relationships were fully covered before my arrival." He gestured for Neville to have a seat opposite him and without having to be asked or told Draco moved to the side to give Neville room. "I was hoping we would meet on the train before we get sorted. Albedo thinks it is likely you will be sorted into Gryffindor unlike me so it is best if we begin a relationship before the prejudices and beliefs of our school houses warp our thinking."

This caused Neville to blink in surprise. Between his mother and father he had known quite a bit about the ever ongoing search for the missing Harry Potter. Given Harry's at the time status as Heir to a Very Ancient and Noble House the Ministry had by law nearly unlimited resources and abilities to find him and it had still proven fruitless. Still he'd heard much of the plan to meet Harry on the train platform spoken from his father to his mother given both were Aurors. What had happened had been completely outside the realm of expectation but like his Father Neville knew exactly what Harry had done and what its full implications were.

By openly taking in known and wanted criminals House Potter had almost certainly removed itself from the Light faction. The question was whether or not the house ended up in the Grey or Dark factions. Regardless of which occurred there were numerous Greater and Minor Houses that had treaties. The Greater Houses wouldn't necessarily have to leave the Light faction given their own political alliances and standings but the Minor Houses of which there were several would be forced to follow wherever House Potter went, the political, economic, and legal ramifications if they did not would mean the total destruction of any house that resisted without a House of Equal weight to House Potter in their corner. The odds of any Very Ancients and Most Noble Houses upsetting the established order were slim to none and would only potentially happen if their were personal relationships and friendships in action.

As Neville sat there with Harry watching him he chose his next words carefully. "I certainly am interested in renewing the friendship between the members of our houses but you will need to speak with my father the Lord Longbottom regarding any political aspects to the relationships of our Houses."

Harry gave a nod. "I'm sure you're wondering and no I don't intend to spend every day of the next seven years at school causing such big disturbances. Today was a special case. My return would spark headlines. I needed to control what they said and make sure it was to my advantage. The Daily Prophet is not always the most honest of papers and I needed to make sure that they saw the wisdom of making sure that they were fair in their reporting when it regarded myself and those I chose to surround myself with."

Neville couldn't help but smile a bit thinking of some of the more destructive of articles by Rita Skeeter among others. Skeeter was the Prophet's attack dog but she was hardly the only one. By Harry showing he was vary clearly aware of his political position the Prophet would carefully fact check any articles they wrote lest they bring the wrath of a Very Ancient and Most Noble House down on their heads. Harry gave his first full smile as he produced the day's edition of the Daily Prophet from inside his robes and unfolding it held it out twords Neville. "You will find Ms. Skeeter is being her usual self today and I for one do not ever intend to let her behave in such a way for me. Feel free to stay for as long as you want and take the paper if you wish, I already finished while I was at Gringotts this morning."

Neville smiled in return happy that a tentative association had been forged with the mysterious and unexpected Lord Harry Potter. Still it was a good start and he settled in for the next several hours alternating between reading the paper and watching Harry and Draco playing chess. Around the third hour of the trip Neville finally departed after bidding goodbye, and headed back to his own compartment where the children of his house's allies and subordinate Lesser Houses were no doubt worrying over what had been taking him so long.

By the time he departed Neville had come to get a decent understanding of each of the four children in the compartment. None of them, not even Harry himself was a particularly loud spoken individual. Each of them were quiet and observant by nature. Neville had known a little of Lucius Malfoy from his parents and been moderately surprised to find the man's son had fallen very far from the tree in nature even if in appearance he dressed and acted like an aristocrat. Malfoy clearly was not his father, in addition were the other two children of Death Eaters, and like Draco they were quiet and observant but also pleasant enough to be around. They were clearly guarded with their words around him as he was effectively a stranger and more importantly unlike Harry or Draco who were raised to be the Heads of their Houses the Carrows were of an Ancient and Noble House but their house was strictly Patriarchal so there was no chance at all of either of the girls ascending to the leadership of the house that their father held currently. The title could not pass to either of the girls, although their children if male could potentially inherit so regardless of their inability to inherit leadership they were still very importantly several key things. Pure Blood, members of a Very Ancient and Noble House, and marriageable. They hadn't spoken much but then even Harry and Draco hadn't spoken all that much outside of comments regarding their chess matches, still they had been pleasant enough to be around and nothing like what one would expect of the children of Death Eaters.

Half an hour after that there came a knock of a different sort on the door and Draco opened the door for the group to admit the Trolley Witch. Each of the children spent a few knuts and sickles to purchase a select amount of their favorite candies although they were few in numbers as each did not wish to over indulge when the Feast was later in the evening and they had all had a full and filling breakfast that morning before starting their days. For the remainder of the journey after the Trolley Witch had stopped by the four alternately read or slept as Draco and Harry finally put away the chess set after close to three hours of back to back chess matches against one another.

When the train finally arrived at Hogsmeade Station the four left their compartment. Each of them had used the bathroom in the final half hour of the trip. The boys to simply answer nature's call. The girl's for the same reason but to also touch up their makeup before the Opening Feast. Draco, and the Carrows all had to change into their robes but Harry who was wearing what were Head of House dress robes didn't have to. Still he like the others checked himself over much as he had before starting off for the day that morning. He wore Acromantula Robes with a Dueling Style cut that were open at the front and allowed for incredible ease of movement. On his feet he had polished Dragonhide boots, his pants, like his shirt and vest and robes were all made of Acromantula silk but where his pants and outer dueling robes were midnight black, his vest was grey and his shirt House Potter red. Finally he had a nondescript black Acromantula silk tie. His outer dueling robes unlike those of his companions didn't display his house crest but his house ring was very visible on the ring finger of his right hand.

Beyond his clothes he checked the remaining portions of his personal grooming. Like the men of his family his hair was under normal circumstances an unruly mess but several choice charms and hair care products kept it manageable to the point that it was worn in a ponytail that hung down to his shoulder blades. His green eyes of course were piercing and to this day he was grateful that magic had an answer to his ancestrally horrible eyesight so that he did not have to wear glasses.

Stepping out of the bathroom he was not surprisingly met with students who were watching him that ranged from polite curiosity to open stares. He made his way past all of them including a pair of smirking identical red headed twins and made it back to his compartment right as the train pulled into the station. Getting the girls to give him a quick look over in the compartment and make sure he hadn't missed anything he cracked his neck to the side and grinned as he grabbed the door handle. "Showtime." He could hear Draco behind him mutter which made all four, both boys and girls alike grin in amusement at their inside joke with one another.


	4. Chapter 4: A Chat with a Hat

Harry Potter sat at his house table in the Great Hall of Hogwarts wondering not for the first time about philosophy and more specifically the nature of existence. He was trying to be philosophical about all that had happened to him today. Usually he was pretty good about it but there were days where everything just seemed against him. He was extremely well educated for his age and Albedo had made certain that he was learned in all manner of studies not just magical ones despite his heritage. No she had seen his intelligence, an intelligence that she always claimed out shown her own, and Harry had seen first hand just how intelligent the raven haired woman that had raised him was. Once his abilities were confirmed she had made sure he was fully educated.

He was an eleven year old boy that was fluent in six muggle languages and three magical ones. He could manage basic conversation in a dozen more of each side as long as the conversation remained pleasant and conventional, technical terms were still beyond his understanding for the moment. His magical education was already at fourth year levels by International standards. (By Hogwarts's own standards he would have rated as a fifth year.)

And those measurements were just in his general course studies. Certain fields of magic he was at N.E.W.T levels of proficiency, given he'd had a wand since the age of six it was hardly a wonder that he was so advanced where most children, even heirs and heiresses of Ancient and Noble Houses didn't receive wands that early.

As for his muggle education he was on par with the average muggle student entering college. Given that Albedo had frequently moved around the world over the years he had been exposed to numerous cultures that had given him a broader view of things, as well as of course fostering his language skills by actual use. He'd liked America the best as both its Wizarding and Muggle cultures were fairly advanced. That was not to say either was perfect, both had noticeable gaping flaws in some of their policies but while Muggle Britain was advanced Magical England had been stagnating for a very, very, long time.

But it wasn't that he was more advanced than his peers that was making him so determined to be philosophical this evening. It hadn't been the events either after a remarkably enjoyable boat ride that had given him a truly impressive first view of Hogwarts that easily surpassed all but a few things before. He'd shared a boat with Draco, Hestia and Flora of course. He was happy for their company, all too often Albedo tried to keep her all to himself and it had taken more than a little convincing to let her allow him company of his own age. Even then no matter how much he tried they all had subdued personalities around him. The truth of it was that he simply wasn't as scary as Albedo. Not that he could blame them. After all despite whatever Albedo might say or think he was at the end of the day simply Harry Potter. Albedo on the other hand... Albedo was Albedo.

Of course he hadn't expected everyone to be as subdued around him as Draco and the twins. Most of the children that had stood outside the Great Hall doors after being spoken to by the Deputy Head Mistress who had briefly explained a little of what was going to happened before leaving them for a moment to make sure everything was ready. An older student called a prefect was watching over them but apart from that the first year students had time to kill, and talk.

More than a few whispers he'd heard were regarding him. Luckily no one seemed to know what he looked like yet somehow. He figured it was because of Rockwood and the Carrows being in front of him along with the Aurors and DMLE agents. It would have been rather hard for most to see the face and features of an eleven year old boy.

Still his luck didn't hold out forever as while he stood close to Draco and the twins it wasn't long before some of the heirs and heiresses noticed someone clearly wearing dueling style Head of House robes and the whispering intensified around him. He remembered sighing as word spread and some of the pure bloods that weren't of the higher political echelons took notice of his presence. A red headed boy with freckles and a bit of dirt on the side of his nose managed to get close and was the first one to speak.

Harry's emerald green eyes did a quick up down flick of the boy taking a measure of his posture and attire. Well cared for and good condition but otherwise worn robes, and little to none of the traditional bearing carried by children of Noble Houses and above. He figured the boy had to be from a Minor House. Muggleborns wouldn't know who he was after all at least not enough to provoke this kind of reaction. The red head gave Harry his own look over and dutifully Flora and Hestia moved to stand in front of Harry. They had been well trained by their family and Albedo that Harry was to come before them and they were to do anything needed to ensure he did not suffer negativity.

Harry of course wished they wouldn't do that, everyone tended to take Albedo a little too seriously but once again he couldn't blame them any more than he could blame their adult relatives. Albedo was Albedo through and through. The red head who's name Harry still didn't know narrowed his eyes though at seeing the girls just as he cast a similar suspicious gaze at Draco who was still standing beside Harry, like the girls forming a wall of sorts protecting Harry from the crowd out of subconscious training courtesy of Albedo. Finally the red head's eyes finally made their way back to Harry and he finally spoke even as others on all sides were watching him.

"So are you really Harry Potter?"

Harry wasn't sure how to respond. Albedo's training on pureblood culture was going through one part of his mind, another part was fighting against that like he did most of Albedo's training. True he admitted it was necessary but while he had never wanted for anything material and she had attempted to provide every emotional and mental need as well she could also be smothering on an almost constant basis. Only when he rebuked her would she back off for a time until he would forgive her after seeing her utterly crushed expression, once he did her fervor only increased as she would attempt to make up for her previous failings. It was a situation that for Harry held no right answer on how to proceed.

Just as he was about to respond Draco spoke instead in a solemn quiet voice that he often used when dealing with anyone other than Harry and Hestia and Flora in private.

"It's true. Harry Potter has come to Hogwarts."

The whispering suddenly and sharply went silent before beginning all of three heartbeats later with renewed intensity and vigor. The redhead turned his eyes from Harry to Draco, flicked his gaze to the House Potter vassal symbol. Harry made a silent promise to himself to get Draco and the others to take it off their robes as soon as he could, they were going through enough for him as it was he didn't need to drag them any further in than being around him already would. The boy looked back to Harry while Harry was still in thought and spoke again. "Look everyone knows you got captured but you're here now. If you want we'll help you get away from these guys and anyone holding you hostage. You can count on my family to help you if you just say the word."

Flora couldn't resist a snigger which made Harry almost smile if he hadn't been trained from birth to not show emotion on his face unless he intended to. Albedo after all was a perfect teacher once again in this regard as well given her own mask was a smile that was rarely ever genuine no matter how sincere it appeared to the eye. The boy's head jerked slightly to the side to lock onto her and he narrowed his eyes. "What do you think is so funny? Why shouldn't Harry Potter be back with his own and not with a bunch of Dark wizards."

Harry settled back happy to let his companions answer for themselves. Flora had a tongue that could draw blood from a stone if she wanted to and Harry was always happy anytime any of them stepped out of the narrow confines Albedo had enforced on each of them as Harry's childhood companions.

"What's funny Weasley. Is that Lord Potter is an emancipated Lord of one of the last Very Ancient and Most Noble Houses. He doesn't need to be coddled or protected. And as for his own, isn't House Weasley a former vassal house of House Potter that is still allied? If I remember my politics lessons correctly your house will either need to follow House Potter as you are only a Minor Noble House still. House Potter may not be your lords anymore and you may not need to address him as your Lord, but he is still your Patron. And as your Patron you would face heavy penalties both political and economic if you break with him. Infact unless you find another Very Ancient and Most Noble House to treat with House Potter on your behalf and take your family in you would loose your Noble Status and simply be Minor House Weasley."

Harry was resisting the urge to smile, not at the dressing down that Flora was giving Weasley but because Flora was hitting her stride and he couldn't resist the smirk since she was clearly not addressing only Weasley. There were other houses Minor and Major alike that had ties to House Potter. And according to Albedo's carefully prepared briefings there were members of only two other Very Ancient and Most Noble Houses present at Hogwarts this year. Heir Neville Longbottom, who he'd previously met on the train. And Lord Sirius Black who Albedo had given a high probability of being on the school staff this year now that he was attending.

To put it simply anyone who wasn't muggleborn would think long and hard about even speaking a less than gentile word to him in even the most careful of ways given that their families wouldn't have the time for the child that brought House Potter's wrath down on them to message their family's to let them know how much they had screwed up and get them here in time in most cases.

The laws of Magic governing Noble politics were swift and just, a house would have at most a full twenty four hours to appease him and reaffirm whatever treaty, oath, bond, or alliance had been damaged before magic itself, not just the British magical government, would bring its full powers down on any errant house. That wouldn't be enough time for most so the only hope any that erred would have would be to go to Lord Black or Heir Longbottom quick enough to get another Very Ancient and Most Noble House to intercede.

Magic was a harsh mistress and despite its beauty it could be harsh to broke its laws.

But that whole thing hadn't been what was causing Harry to be thinking philosophical thoughts either. No what had been the catalyst was when the Deputy Headmistress had returned to the waiting chamber a minute later, lined them all up alphabetically and lead them into Hogwart's Great Hall. He had been rather entranced with the sky and he could hear a girl farther up the line talking about it.

He raised a brow visibly when an old hat had started to sing a song. Then he watched, listened, and waited as the first year students ahead of him proceeded one by one to sit under the hat and the hat would then call out what school house they would be sorted into. He wasn't surprised when Flora was sorted into Slytherin, Hestia though surprised him when she too went to Slytherin, given what he knew of the houses he had figured Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff. Draco too was a surprise as Harry would have made a wager that if any one else had heard it would have had eyes watering at the amount, that Draco would end up in Ravenclaw, but he too ended up in Slytherin.

Harry was starting to have darkly suspicious thoughts that Albedo and perhaps Rockwood might have done something by the time his name was called. Given his suspicious mind working the problem he missed the conversation that sprang up as he obediently walked forward and took a seat on the stool. His eyes were raised as he watched the hat's wide brim descend downward over him as the Deputy Headmistress lowered the hat onto his head.

And then the hat began to speak inside his head and that was when all the trouble began.

'Oh Mr. Potter it has been quite some time since I have been inside a mind quite like yours. Or would you prefer I address you as Ainz Ooal Gown?' This caused Harry's mental processes to actually freeze where they were for a moment before restarting with their full frightening speed as he began the admittedly somewhat absurd act of conversing with a magical hat. 'Why would you call me that?' He asked of the hat suspiciously. Clearly the hat could see into his mind quite a bit if it was seeing the dreams he had. 'Well of course I am seeing into your mind. I can tell your discomfort with your former name of Momonga given your servant's devotion or shall we say obsession with it. It has never sat well with you, not being anyone but yourself has it? But you chose the name of Ainz Ooal Gown once before of your own free will.' Harry wasn't sure what to think but perhaps this was a chance for an independent advisor of sorts.

'So my dreams are more than just me dreaming about Albedo's story's to me? I always just figured they were my imaginings of my bedtime stories as a child.' The hat quite clearly chuckled inside his mind and he frowned slightly in the physical world at it. 'No they are not. Your dreams have been visions of a past life. You reincarnated and became Harry Potter. But once you bore the name and title of Ainz Ooal Gown and before that Momonga. I can tell you had a name before that as well but you do not seem to remember that. It will come in time as the blocks on your magic are released.'

Harry was already aware of the many blocks placed on his magic. He remembered at age six when he'd first had one released. Then he'd had once released this summer on his eleventh birthday. He would have the remaining three released each on his thirteenth, seventeenth, and twenty-first birthdays respectively. Albedo and Rockwood both told him it was because of his reincarnation he was too powerful. The magic he had before he became Harry Potter had not been meant for a human child. And so it was locked away.

At each of the key birthdays that signaled a growth of his magical core courtesy of ancient rituals, a lock was removed. Right now Rockwood and Albedo estimated he had perhaps half of a percent of the magic he would have once the final lock was removed and final ritual completed on his twenty-first birthday. If they were right he might surpass any known wizard or witch in recorded history for having the most powerful magical core ever recorded... Assuming he survived after all.

'But yes you were and still are Ainz Ooal Gown if your devoted follower is any indication. You will regain more memories as your locks are removed. Perhaps you will regain other things as well. Your memories of your past life or lives as it might seem are tied directly to your magic. But enough talking about such things. I do believe that a great many people are starting to wonder what is taking so long you are officially the longest sorting in anyone present's memory apart from my own humble self.' Harry was silent for a moment thinking quickly. 'Before you sort me. Tell me. Have you seen others that have not only been reincarnated but come from where I apparently came from.' The hat was silent for a long long while and Harry finally became aware of the restless whispering coming not only from all four tables ahead of him but even the staff table behind him before finally the hat replied. 'Not in a very long time Mr. Potter'

And with that before Harry could ask it anything else the Hat's mouth opened atop his head and shouted out.

"SLYTHERIN!"

The Deputy Headmistress raised the hat off his head her mouth forced into a frown for reasons that he could guess at. Like Weasley before had said, Harry's family as a Very Ancient and Most Noble House and been in past generations as the leaders of the Light was extremely common knowledge. Only Albus Dumbledore's personal magical ability allowed him to hold the title currently, though in all fairness it was held genuinely, whatever else the man might be, and Harry had been told of many things, his power at least was quite genuine. As the Lords of the Light along with House Longbottom the Potters had been dictating the course of the Light faction of the wizarding world of not just England but a large portion of Europe along with it for centuries. To have a Potter now in Slytherin would cause enormous upset.

Harry of course didn't care. He knew that not only had his great-grandmother been a Slytherin but from two generations back of her Slytherins had been quite common in House Potter, particularly in the ruling Heads of House that had held the title of Lord Potter during their time. Still he felt magic working its nature on his clothes. His House Potter red shirt faded and became Slytherin Green and his previously black tie became striped Slytherin Green and Slytherin Silver. The Slytherin crest also took its place on his robes. He allowed his house crest to fade as he allowed his ring with the House Potter crest, a proud Silver Gryphon on a crimson background, become visible on his hand, up until now since the incident that morning he had kept it magically hidden from the eyes of all who were not his vassals or servants, they of course could always see it so that they would always be aware of the presence of their Lord.

He took his seat at the Slytherin table where Draco, Flora, and Hestia had been saving him a seat with Draco on his left and the girls on his right acting as a buffer from the other students. Across from him Daphne Greengrass was watching him with the cool emotionless gaze of an Ancient and Noble Heiress. Harry knew that the Greengrasses were a pivotal member of the Neutrals or Grey as they were otherwise called. House Potter would be accepted no matter where it positioned itself just by nature of its tremendous power and influence on the political field alone, but it would be best if he established ties. Assuming Albedo hadn't already made herself known to the Greengrasses Harry thought darkly.

Alecto Carrow had made a passing joke a week previously about Harry having to beat away all the eligible Heiresses with a stick once he got to Hogwarts and Albedo had gotten a truly murderous gaze on her face. Her smile never changed but Harry had known her long enough to be able to read her emotions regardless of the mask on her face that she wore for all but him and even then she only displayed her true emotions in private or under stress if in public.

Harry privately made the note that Daphne was more than just a pretty eleven year old girl with the way she conducted herself. Still as he took in his fellow first years. His eyes lingering on each of the children of the Death Eaters that were in his camp as well as those that had family in Voldemort's camp as well and watched the reactions at all. When Dumbledore called all of the student's attention though he finally looked at the staff table. He listened to Dumbledore with half an ear, storing the strange words at the end away for later, his eyes shifting to the two professors he expected the most issue with.

Both sat near each other and it was clear from their body language neither was pleased with the seating but both Professor Snape and Lord Black had their gaze's fixed on him with what Harry could only call watchful expressions although there did seem to be a look of pain and hurt in Lord Black's eyes as well. He watched each of them a moment more, scanned the rest of the staff and didn't note anyone who he had a particular reason to yet linger his gaze on, gave Dumbledore a final glance and then as the tables became filled with food he pulled his eyes away and started choosing what to eat.

Around him the Slytherin pure bloods that knew each other were catching up on gossip while others watched him and his companions with wary looks. Harry had been briefed on the inner house politics that went on in Slytherin House. If he hadn't had the Carrow twins and Draco with him, both members of Dark families to back him up he could have been in for a bit of rough trouble. Instead Draco and Hestia and Flora would all be acting as his intermediaries. Albedo, Narcissa Malfoy, and Lord Carrow had prepared the three very carefully for the days ahead. There were a few older children of some of the other former Death Eaters that would help as well but the Carrows, Malfoys, and Rockwood constituted Albedo's inner circle of followers.

Still Harry did look down the table to see Marcus Flint giving him a nod before glancing away. The Carrows Malfoys and Rockwood all knew Harry's thoughts. The Flints didn't. The same for some of the other Slytherins. The same could be said for the six other students that weren't in Slytherin House that were children of adults that followed Albedo and by extension, Harry. In total outside of Slytherin House he had three Ravenclaws, two Hufflepuffs, and one Gryphindor he could count on in a pinch. And that didn't count any children of houses that House Potter had ties to.

Harry didn't agree with all of Albedo's plans but he didn't have to follow her plans either if he didn't want to. Still he thought some had merit and there were things he did want to accomplish that her plans could be used for. A few of her ideas he even agreed with. So he would play along for now as he learned. And when the time came that something would occur that he didn't like or want he'd just have to deal with it then and get her to stop. Hopefully she wouldn't whine too much when he gave her the usual punishment of not being allowed to eat meals with him. It was wierd. He could use the Crucio curse on her and she had an orgasm, and boy had that been an awkward conversation with Flora and Hestia a few days later. But if he forbid her from seeing him it had the effect of completely breaking her spirit as if she was without purpose.

* * *

Meanwhile up in the Headmaster's chambers the Sorting Hat settled in for another year of not doing much of anything. Being a hat really had its flaws but he wouldn't trade his role for anything. It was what he had been created for after all. Still the hat did perk up as the door to the chambers opened far earlier than was expected. The paintings of previous Headmasters and Headmistresses instantly froze the magic at work temporarily turning them into normal paintings for a brief period of time as the Hat regarded the raven haired woman who had just entered.

Horns curled emerged from her head and curled forward in a rather cute way while her black hair flowed between them backwards to hang down behind her back. Golden threads in a web like pattern circled her neck and extended down to her dress helping hold it up. As for the white fabric of her dress it clung to every curve of her body, revealing nothing and everything at once. And black wings were folded around her hips so that she did not accidentally knock anything over.

The Hat was silent for a moment as he regarded the woman before finally speaking. "It has been a long time Albedo. You have stopped coming back for more than six centuries. I can tell you that I for one missed you. I liked having someone willing to wear me around on occasion. These Headmasters always only bring me out once a year. If I'm lucky the smart ones atleast ask me for advice but most don't. Luckily Dumbledore despite his flaws is a smart Headmaster."

Albedo's smile remained where it was but to someone who knew her it might actually have started seeming more genuine as she spoke to the hat.

"I have been busy. Ever since I gave the Peverells my gifts I have had to be in a great many places at once to know where and when my Lord would appear."

The Hat simply harrumphed at this.

"You could have gone with your gut instinct and simply watched Ignatious's line. It seems you were right once again."

Albedo smiled even as her gaze turned to the side as Fawkes the phoenix swooped in through the window and came to rest on its perch. It regarded her for a long moment which just caused her to laugh.

"Oh my." She said raising her hand to her mouth to politely cover it as she giggled playfully at the phoenix's presence. "Hogwarts's head guardian reveals herself. How do you feel about the fact you almost lost out to Serpentia for your position." The phoenix let out a roud sounding noise that caused Albedo to smile wider as she took a step closer. "Your scaly companion is not here to protect you. She is all alone down there. Do you even visit her? I do hope she hasn't gone mad from loneliness. Jealousy after all is such a terrible thing."

She leered at the phoenix for a moment more before casting the hat a look. "Just because Hogwarts's guardians are still around does not mean I will not destroy it if my Master suffers. You will ensure Harry Potter is safe and looked after or I will return to this office in a very angry mood." The hat was tempted to harrumph but simply nodded and Fawkes gave an angry squawk but also nodded. With that Albedo turned on her heel and walked out pulling the door closed behind her. Fawkes looked at the hat and the hat sighed. "There is no fear greater than to lose a Supreme Being." The Hat said to the Phoenix who after a long moment gave a single silent and mournful nod.


	5. Chapter 5: A Snake and a Dog

The slap caught not only Harry by surprise but every other member of Slytherin House. Still he reacted quickly as he raised a hand that halted the movement of the more than two dozen Slytherin students in the process of drawing their wands on the crying brown haired first year that had just slapped him. Harry slowly lowered his hand as everyone in the Slytherin common room was frozen mid action. His companions and followers of course were all reaching into their pockets or sleeves for their wands, a few of the faster ones like Marcus Flint or Hestia and Draco already had their wands out though they hadn't gotten to the point of pointing the wands at the crying girl still glaring at Harry through her tears.

Elsewhere in the room well over a hundred other Slytherins were watching the situation play out while Harry's eyes scanned all of them. Most were gathered in groups, typically Minor House children gathered around the child of whatever major house they were sworn or allied to. There was one large group of more than forty that was standing off to the side frozen by indecision and Harry released a sigh at the whole situation as like everything else up until now Albedo had briefed him thoroughly on all the political alliances and because of that he knew exactly why there were more than twenty students who seem absolutely unsure of what to do as Harry's own supporters formed ranks finally beginning to move again as they fully drew their wands as they fell into ranks around their Lord and Patron.

Raising his hand to run his fingers through his black hair stroking it once as he stalled for time in thought his eyes flickered back to the crying girl who was still glaring at him with hatred in her eyes. Clearing his throat he finally spoke and all around him all of Slytherin House listened.

"Look I am sorry. I am fully aware of Lord Black's history and have been dutifully informed that he can at times be a prick to those he does not care about. I will be having a private dinner with him tomorrow and will talk to him on your behalf at that time." Harry said as he thought back to just an hour earlier when after the Opening Feast he had been brought to the Headmaster's office by a brooding and near silent Professor Snape who even now had been standing frozen by the unfolding events by the entrance to the Slytherin common room.

* * *

It was just as Harry was finishing the feast and the prefects were gathering the students to take them to the house dormitories that Professor Snape had come down from the staff table and exchanged a few private words with the prefects before looking over the entirety of Slytherin for a quick moment. After that he focused on Harry and walked over to him standing looming above looking down at him. "The Headmaster will see you in his office immediately Lord Potter." His voice practically was dripping with disdain but Harry looked to Draco, Flora, and Hestia and gave them a nod before rising to his feet and addressing Snape. "Lead the way Professor."

Professor Snape led him through Hogwart's many winding halls and up several of the stairs that had a habit of changing such that they confused even the school's students on how to get to certain classes on time. They arrived at an enormous stone griffin that looked a heck of a lot like the House Potter griffin. The black haired potions master that had not said a single word to him since coming to him at the end of the feast and informing him that the headmaster wished to have a word with him in private, addressed the griffin and spoke the password. "Lemon Drops." Snape said with a touch of venom as if he was insulted that the headmaster had used a popular candy as his password.

The Gryphon obligingly moved out of the way and a circular staircase was revealed that Professor Snape led Harry up. At the door Snape was about to knock when Dumbledore's voice called out. Snape visibly suppressed a sneer at the headmaster's tactics but opened the door and led Harry inside. Harry couldn't resist the urge to look around in curiosity at the Headmaster's office. Portraits of past headmasters and headmistresses filled the walls of the room. Harry did a quick count and was mildly surprised that none of Hogwarts's founders were among the number of portraits. Of course there were more than just portraits in the room.

At his desk Albus Dumbledore sat quietly watching Harry with a curious gaze trying to figure out the mystery that was Harry Potter. To the left of the desk on a perch was a crimson bird that was watching him silently with a fixed gaze. To the headmaster's right stood Lord Sirius Black who looked as if he had been in the process of pacing the room if his location and rigid body language were any indication. Behind him Professor Snape moved to stand off to the side of the room near the door while a chair in front of the headmaster's desk clearly sat waiting for Harry to sit in it.

Casting a quick glance at each of the individuals, plus a lingering look at the awe inspiring phoenix that was still watching him back in silence, Harry walked forward and took a seat. Dumbledore cleared his throat. "Lord Potter, as I'm sure you can guess I called you here to speak with you about your past ten years since you were abducted from Godric's Hollow following your parent's murder by Voldemort." Harry gave Dumbledore a point to the positive mentally at having no fear for Voldemort's name. Far too many in England couldn't bring themselves to say his name and fear of a name was a powerful and dangerous thing.

The headmaster continued. "We would frankly like to know that you have not been mistreated. The Ministry will likewise be sending a representative likely no later than tomorrow or the day after to speak with you and I would not be surprised if the Minister himself doesn't make the trip. However before the discussion becomes politics we want to simply know that you have been taken care of and cared for and wish you to know that despite your status as an emancipated Lord both your godfather and godmother are ready to take you into their families if you wish to be removed from your station." Harry added another point to Dumbledore for not treating him as the child he physically was. The old man was respecting his status as a Lord and not trying to bump it overly beyond offering to find him a home and family.

Harry didn't immediately reply to that one though and he saw Lord Black and Dumbledore exchanging a worried glance between them when he didn't immediately speak or agree. The truth was that as smothering and manipulating as Albedo was she also legitimately cared for him with all her being. He was quite certain some of it was delusion but the cause and the effect are two different things regardless of their connections. He had no doubt that Lord and Lady Longbottom would house him and attempt to raise him as one of their own. Lord Black would likely given the same given the reports that he had spent the last ten years searching for Harry to the detriment of a great many other things. But did he want to leave?

He knew Lord Black's stance regarding Dark Wizards thanks to his own family was skewed. Harry certainly didn't consider himself Light, nor did he consider himself Dark. He wasn't sure he even considered himself Grey but that's where he would end up on the current English wizarding political spectrum. He was about to speak when behind him the door opened and in walked Lady Longbottom. She walked straight up to him at a brisk pace just as he stood up to look and see who had entered and threw her arms around him hugging him tightly. Glancing to the side Harry's eyes found Lord Black and the pain on the man's face was clear as was the fact that like the Lady Longbottom he wanted nothing more than to hug Harry close and keep him there forever, to protect him from the world. The man was clearly holding back and Harry wondered how much of that was Dumbledore's influence.

When Lady Longbottom finally pulled back from the hug Harry could see tears of joy in her eyes as she looked him over with the critical gaze of a healer. Lady Longbottom was a former Auror who following the war with Voldemort had turned to a career in healing and was now a world renowned healer that had been shaking up the medical community of England beyond just St. Mungo's by bringing in international techniques that had proven more effective over traditional English methods of healing. Finally letting Harry go she stood up her hand wiping away her tears as she addressed the others in the room. "I'm sorry for my delay I had to deal with an outbreak of a magical virus in York."

She gave Harry a smile as she walked over to stand next to Lord Black who gave her a pained smile and a nod and all eyes turned to Harry waiting for his answer as Dumbledore spoke quietly filling in Lady Longbottom on what they had asked Harry. Like Dumbledore and Lord Black, Lady Longbottom wore a pained expression at the thought that Harry might not want to live in one of their homes. Both had come to terms with the knowledge that Harry would officially live with only one of them although they had both agreed to try and have him spend time at the home of his other godparent. But now suddenly the feared idea that Harry might not choose either of them was forefront in the minds of all.

The eyes of all were now back on him. He stalled by looking at each of them. He studied their expressions and their clothes as he had been taught and trained to since he was of an age he could talk. His eyes studied Lord Black's pain filled gaze, saw the way there were clearly tears gathering in the man's eyes that threatened to run down his face and drip on the black open front robes he wore as a Hogwarts professor over closed under robes in House Black silver and black. The light gleamed off the Head of House ring he wore on his hand, the silver Grim on a black backdrop, the symbol of his house.

His eyes shifted to Lady Longbottom still dressed in the white layered robes of a healer. The St. Mungo's crest was embroidered on her shoulder, she hadn't stopped to change before she had come to see him, she probably had barely cleaned the blood or other bodily fluids away with a spell and nothing more. A silver ring on her hand displayed the Longbottom Stallion.

Finally his eyes slid to Dumbledore still sitting at his desk still studying Harry in quiet. There was no twinkle in his eyes as was so often common in public. He was not a grandfatherly figure here, neither was he the defeater of Grindewald. He was simply a knowledgeable and generally wise man attempting to understand the mystery sitting in front of him. Harry knew that Dumbledore had known Albedo. She had watched both him and Grindewald in years previous wondering if perhaps they might be his reincarnation. She had not known that Harry would be the reincarnation of Ainz Ooal Gown. She had only known that his reincarnation would eventually come into possession of all three of the Hollows. He needed to have a chat.

But that chat would not happen today. Today the discussion was his future. He understood one thing that none of the three here, not even Dumbledore himself, knew. Albedo would follow him, she would follow him no matter where he lived or went. Perhaps in time he could live with those who had been meant to be his family, but for now it would only bring bloodshed as Albedo would simply eliminate any and all she saw as competition. With a sigh he gave a shake of his head.

"I'm sorry but I will stay with Albedo. She did protect me from Voldemort after he killed my parents and has given me much." Clearly this was more than Lord Black could take as he finally broke his silence. "But Harry! How could you want to be there! With HER! That foul BITCH stole you! We are your family! If you don't want to live with me then you will be more than welcome with Alice and Frank and their son Neville. If not them then we can find you someone else who can take you in that you would agree to, anyone at all. But not HER!" Lord Black was crying now at the thought that Harry wasn't coming back with him and was grasping onto any straw that would bring Harry closer to him. Lady Longbottom was also crying as well though she was still composed despite the tears running down her face.

Harry felt a little guilty but he knew he needed to stay where he was for now at least. A part of him wondered what would have been like if he had been raised by Lord Black, or by Lord and Lady Longbottom. Would Neville have been a brother to him? Would they have fought and feuded and never gotten along? He had Draco and Hestia and Flora for companions, but he didn't have friends, he didn't have family. He was silent for a long moment as he thought and Lord Black and Lady Longbottom cried, Lord Black seemed like all the world had gone dark, like there was no reason to go on living. Harry gave him a long look.

"But I would like to get to know you more. The both of you." He said looking to Lady Longbottom as well for a moment before looking back to Lord Black. "Perhaps we could start by having dinner now and then? And maybe I could come by a little during the summers and holidays. But I do need to remain where I am for now."

There was a look of hope on the faces of all three adults as they looked at him. Lord Black was still crying a few tears though Lady Longbottom had managed to compose herself. Harry gave them all a look before settling on Lord Black. "Perhaps tomorrow evening we could have our first dinner, if you wanted to of course Lord Black." Lord Black finally smiled for the first time that Harry had seen in the brief time he had seen him, and to the eyes of the others in the room it was the first genuinely happy smile in a very long time for the man. He gave each of them another look, even looking behind him to where his head of house had been silently standing the whole time and now was giving him a look that could only be described as a mixture of confused and surprised. "I really should be getting back now. I need to get to sleep to be prepared for tomorrow."

Looking back at the three he had been speaking with Dumbledore gave a nod of agreement. "Professor Snape would you be so kind as to escort young Lord Potter to the Slytherin common room." Behind Harry Snape gave a nod and looked to his student. "This way, Lord Potter." He said in a deadpan voice before heading out the door and down the stairwell leaving the Headmaster's chambers with Harry giving each of the three in the room a final look.

From there without further word Professor Snape through the halls and corridors of Hogwarts down into the dungeons all the way to the entrance of the Slytherin common room. He had provided the password into the common room and inside there were more than a hundred students at rest. Each of them were formed into cliques and groups, most based on friendships or otherwise with house alliances. A few exceptions were in the form of the Quidditch team. Harry was quickly waved over to a couch where Draco, Hestia, and Flora were sitting along with more than a half dozen other children that had parrents serving Albedo. Others scattered around the room stopped talking and looked at him. He looked at their faces, looked for house rings as those who served Albedo and those allied to his house alike gathered around. He spotted Draco give him a nod and knew they were gathering to affirm their loyalties but as he was on his way over, one of the children approaching, a brown haired girl walked right up to him, tears starting to run on her face, and slapped him.

Harry quietly watched the standoff unfolding in front of him Pansy Parkinson was still crying while to the side his followers and allies had wands drawn. The room was completely frozen as everyone, even Harry was watching the girl as she cried and shouted at him.

"It's all your fault! All he ever thinks about is you. You are the only person that matters to him. He's my father but he doesn't care about me or my mother. You aren't even his family and yet you're his heir. He won't even give me or my mother his name! Harry Harry HARRY! All he cares about is you! He won't even look at me or hug me! I should be his daughter but because of you he's not! It's ALL YOUR FAULT!" She screamed the final words and drew her wand intending to cast a spell at him but faster than even the people already with wands drawn could react Harry had his own wand in his hand and managed to get off the disarming spell.

 _"Expelliarmus"_

Everyone looked to him with wary eyes as an eleven year old boy managed to be faster on the draw than older witches and wizards that already had their wands out. Parkinsons's wand clattered to the floor behind her with the sound of it hitting the ground and rolling even as everyone stood still, no one dared move as the Godson of Lord Black and his adopted daughter stood in the center of the room. Harry slowly lowered his wand as he studied Pansy's crying face. He had seen Lord Black crying tears of loneliness before despite the fact he was married to a woman who had already had a child before him. By rights he could have performed a blood ritual to adopt her as a Black. But he never had. She carried the name of her mother and had even after Lord Black had married her mother. It had been quite the scandal at the time when he had gone through with a marriage but never given his wife or his wife's child his name.

* * *

In the headmaster's office Dumbledore sat alone silently watching as the door closed behind Alice Longbottom and Sirius Black leaving him alone in the room except for the sorting hat and Fawkes. With a heavy sigh he removed his classes setting them down on his desk and stroked his beard in thought. Harry Potter, he would have to return the invisibility cloak, Harry would know about it sooner or later thanks to Sirius, and Albedo certainly knew about it and would insist on it being returned. He knew the cloak was connected to a prophecy that foretold one who would become the Master of Death.

He was surprised that young Mr. Potter was not in possession of the Elder Wand yet given that Albedo had taken it during the aftermath of his duel against Grindewald. He had been tempted to stand against her, to fight for that powerful item but... He knew she possessed far greater powers than she ever let on. He had seen the battlefields she had laid waste to after all during Gellert's war. If only he could figure out just how was Harry would become the Master of Death. Surely the possession of those three items, wand, stone, and cloak, couldn't make him immortal. Prophecies were tricky mysterious things, there had to be some other meaning behind the title Master of Death. If only he could find out what that title truly meant.

* * *

Harry watched Pansy as she considered his offer to speak on her behalf tomorrow when he had dinner with Sirius. To the side the forty some students with ties to House Black stood frozen unsure who to side with, their Heir, or their Lord's adopted daughter. Behind him his own allies were still with wands drawn although some had begun lowering them. Harry needed to diffuse the tension. Regardless of what Sirius thought of his daughter by marriage if things went worse than this it would be grounds for anything from Blood Feud to an outright magical war if things truly became bad. He needed to diffuse the tension until he could resolve things with Lord Black.

"Heiress Parkinson, as I said I will be having dinner with Lord Black tomorrow evening. I will speak to him about this matter then and all shall be settled. For now lets not turn the common room into a battlefield."

He gave the House Black supporters a long look before turning to look at his own followers and supporters. They finally put their wands away as he watched them. Unlike House Black's allies who were bound to retaliate and had no say in the matter he could order his own faction to stand down. With the wands put away, including his own he walked past Pansy and bent down to pick up her wand and walked back to her offering it to her in his hand for her to take. "I do not think the path forward will be easy between you and I, but I will try for my part. Will you do the same?"

Pansy's tears were slowing though they hadn't completely ended as she hesitantly took her wand back with a confused expression as his actions and words were not what she had expected or feared. What Harry didn't know though he did suspect, was that she had feared he would return to Sirius's side and Sirius would find a way to distance himself even further from her and her mother all for the sake of the son of his best friend, a boy whom he had not seen in ten some years but had spent every day consumed in his thoughts with finding.

From behind him Professor Snape cleared his throat attracting the gaze of the entirety of Slytherin House. "That is enough for one night. All of you will go straight to bed. Lord Potter you will follow me to your quarters." Snape walked forward sweeping past Harry and Pansy and moving for a hallway separate from the normal school dormitories. A dozen doors filled the hall, all were closed, and all but one were bare but on the first door on the left the House Potter insignia was mounted to the door. Snape stood beside it and studied his young unexpected student. "These are your Lord's quarters and will be so for the duration of your education. You will find them quite accommodating from what I have been told." He was silent for a moment looking down at the ever mysterious and surprising Harry Potter trying to understand how this boy could be so different from his biological father. After a moment he spoke again. "Good Night, Lord Potter."

With that he swept past Harry and back into the common room that had cleared out in record time. Pansy along with all but a few of the oldest students were gone. Snape gave the remaining students a look that sent them scurrying for the dormitories as he made his way out, his mind trying to solve the mystery of Harry Potter while behind him Harry entered his quarters intent on heading straight to his bed.


	6. Chapter 6: A Meeting of Lords

**House Potter's Ancestral Estate**

As Harry was just entering his Lord's Quarters and exploring them for the first time, in the north of France along the Normandy coast a gathering was looming. Harry's family dated back over two thousand years preceding even the Roman Empire but had only been in England since the invasion by William the Conqueror when they had been one of the principal noble houses that had provided troops and money for his cause. The Potter family had profited immensely when he succeeded in his invasion and they became one of the new prominent feudal lords of England. The fact that at the time House Potter was a predominantly wizarding bloodline meant nothing given they were wealthy land owners with huge interests across much of northern France and stretching south and now north as well into England.

Still despite their success in the English non-magical world it took almost a century before they would be accepted by the English Wizarding society. It was when on the one hundredth anniversary of William's invasion of Normandy that the then Lord Potter married the last member of house Gryffindor, a girl of all but fourteen, and took in her family's own extensive lands and wealth, and more importantly political connections at the time. Through a cunning bit of diplomatic diplomacy worthy of Salazar Slytherin himself, and the Lord Potter of the time as was much the state of affairs had indeed been a Slytherin during his tenure at Hogwarts, managed to perform the impossible task of transferring House Gryffindor's Very Ancient and Most Noble status, to House Potter which at that point had been only a Noble House. By this point House Potter already had more than a millennia of wizarding ancestors, more than enough to qualify for the age requirement, they had even married some of the members of their families into several of the English wizarding houses of the time.

The most important reason however that it was allowed was that House Potter was the most prominent and powerful of the French magical families both of those who had followed at Normandy and those that had not. Unrest had been growing in the more ordinary wizards at their foreign conquerors and the nobles of the time had known they needed a symbol that all was well. So a one time exception was made and House Potter was permitted to inherit not only House Gryffindor's lands and wealth but also its most important asset, its status as a Very Ancient, and Most Noble house.

One of the requirements of course had been that the main branch of House Potter live in England but despite the fact that the head of the family had moved they had retained their ancestral French estates. Some of the House Potter estates had been lost over the centuries particularly in the south of France as the wars between England and France became more frequent and heated. As a noble house based in England but still like many of the Normandy houses, still with formidable holdings in France political agility was the watchword of the Lords of House Potter.

And so House Potter suffered some losses, but when the wars were ended for a time it was often House Potter that would be principal in the peace agreements and so they continued to thrive despite having two non magical monarchs they had to bow to.

The Potter estate was right on the Normandy Coast. Almost sixteen thousand acres of heavily wooded lands that stretched out for miles. The main chateau was well inland of the coast and surrounded by fertile farmlands but the estate also hosted a hunting lodge in the forests and a smaller chateau along the coast that the family sometimes used for guests or for a vacation escape. In addition to the Potter residence the estate boasted two villages that together had almost three thousand some people who were paying rents, in addition to the farms there were vineyards and a winery owned and founded by members of House Potter, there was competing wineries but the locals had long developed the custom of supporting the winery owned by their own absent lords.

Perhaps more importantly there was a major industrial town that House Potter had significant interests in. Here as it was a muggle town the control and ownership was less obvious and direct but House Potter owned some sixty percent of the lands of the town including most of the prominent institutions such as the bank, library, and hospital to name some. But the town and villages were not what was of interest that night, but rather Chateau de Griffin, or as it is known in English, Griffin Castle. The castle had been repeatedly expanded over the centuries but with the magic that older members of House Potter had cast openly in earlier times it lacked the haphazard design common in castles built and designed strictly by non-magicals.

Perched atop a wooded hill its walls still stood proud and strong. Inside its halls splendor and wonder could be beheld as works of art from all across the world filled its halls, countless treasures abounded. Its library boasted over sixty thousand books while its banquet hall could seat three hundred with plenty of room for all. It had in addition to the wing for the noble family, rooms for more than sixty guests. Stables housed some of the finest steeds, magical and non magical alike, in all the world. It was a home the envy of any noble both magical and non magical alike. And the wards that defended it were legendary as being unbreachable and were the watchword for security amongst the magical community of France and beyond.

However much as it had been for the last century and a half much of the chateau remained unoccupied as it awaited the return of its creator's descendants. However in one part of the chateau there were a great many people gathering that night. Though the sun was long set and the moon high in the sky the night was still young as those who were gathering tonight would not see their beds for many until at least dawn if not later. Almost a hundred individuals had gathered that night as invitations had been sent out. Though most were caught by surprise none dare refuse a summons by the Lord Potter to come to his family's ancestral home. There was understandably frustration and outrage all around the conference table in the large room they were gathered. A long table was packed with people, standing room only for some as lesser lords and servants and aids were forced to stand where they could.

Lord Potter was notably absent of course and it could not be missed as in that room which had long been the meeting hall for those rare occasions when House Potter summoned its vassals, servants, and allies alike. Only three times in the last century had there gone out a summons but none not even the slowest of individuals had missed the importance. The walls here were not adorned with ancient paintings that were works of art but rather with banners bearing the emblems and sigils of each of the houses sworn or otherwise in service to House Potter. Houses Great and Minor alike adorned the walls but it was the largest of the banners that bore the silver griffin of House Potter against a crimson background that was clearly the focal point. The enormous banner that dominated much of one wall, was hung above and behind a carved wooden granite throne that more than a thousand years before, when France had known no king but instead every noble house had been their own master, that that throne had been the seat of the Lord Potter. The grey granite stone had been crafted by master stone masons into the form of griffons with carvings and stonework alike designed to replicate the proud magic beast that was the symbol of House Potter.

And of course the seat remained empty as the final individuals entered and vainly attempted to find seats. Of those gathered they had come from all across the world with vassals and allies coming from as far away as the Orient and the Far East as well as America. Most of those gathered of course were from houses located in Europe where long had House Potter held great influence. With a hundred and twelve individuals gathered there were some eighty three wizarding houses present. Forty-seven of these houses straight off the bat were of Minor Noble Status or simply Minor Houses at all with little impact apart from sheer numbers. Beyond that were the traditional noble houses. Another nineteen houses filled these ranks. Each of the Noble houses held substantial political power in their home countries, not all of which were France or England. And last but not least were the seven Ancient Noble Houses sworn to House Potter. Not all countries boasted Very Ancient and Most Noble Houses in their ranks in the modern age. In the countries of absence it was to these houses that fell enormous power. They possessed coffers of great wealth and their members were frequently key government officials. Finally came the remaining ten that came from countries that did not have noble houses but rather families that operated in key positions. All of these houses as they came from younger countries like America, rivaled at bare minimum the Noble Houses and some had powers rivaling or even exceeding the Ancient and Noble Houses.

In total key members of more than seventeen magical governments were present, with key individuals being the French Minister of Magic Phillipe Delacour as well as Germany's Chancellor of Magic being present and the Vice President of MACUSA having come from America. This did not ignore England's own Amelia Bones who was the head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement or the DMLE as it was known having the highest, although not the only position in England's Ministry. With the Griffin's Roost, as the throne was known, empty the eyes of many looked instead to a specific chair that they knew of. Most of the chairs were luxurious of carved mahogany, comfortable cushions protected the posteriors of those that sat in them. There was one chair though that was still empty that had a silver griffin inlaid into the wood with gorgeous detail. This was the seat that the Lord Potter's designated messenger would use in the event that their Lord was unable to attend his own summons.

The final person to enter that night was Lady Narcissa Malfoy who wore a shimmering accromantula silk dress that despite its simplicity was the envy of more than a few of the women in that room. The simple elegance of the dress meant that the vassal sigil of House Potter worn on her dress was noticed that much more quickly as was the gleaming silver ring on her finger instead of her traditional House Malfoy ring. It bore the silver griffin of House Potter and identified the wearer as the messenger of Lord Potter. Due to the magics of the ring the wearer was bound to deliver their Lord's message in its entirety and the listeners would know the message to be true.

The Malfoys had once had another name long ago but in an attempted power grab several of their members, though not the head of House Malfoy, had plotted against House Potter who at the time had been their Vassal Lords. When the plot had been discovered House Potter had exacted harsh justice upon the errant house including stripping it of their previous name and branding them forever onward with the name of Malfoy, or Bad Faith as it was translated from french. In time house Malfoy had married into House Black several times and they switched their allegiances to House Black for more than a hundred years before finally returning to the fold of House Potter now in Harry's lifetime.

"Our Lord commanded me to summon you here this evening. Some of you already know some of our Lord's plans, many of you do not. Not all will be revealed but this meeting is so that you will all know when you return home, to prepare. Our Lord has great plans ahead, many of you already have roles decided for you, when it is your time he or his servants will contact you and tell you what you need to know. Simply know this. Voldemort may not be the greatest Dark Wizard to ever live like Grindewald before him, but he is expected to make a return soon, possibly even this year. Right now our Lord is attending his first year at Hogwarts but though he cannot meet you all today he wishes me invite you all to a Yule Ball he will be hosting this year on the day of the winter solstice. You and your families alike are invited and encouraged to attend as he wishes to meet you all."

"Simply know that House Potter has plans for you all. Now that said before you are permitted to leave we have new members that have sword fealty as vassals of House Potter and our Lord that will be joining us tonight. Before today they did not serve him fully though they did serve his name before now. But tonight they shall join you in this august body."

As if on cue Narcissa finished speaking and looked to her side as one of the doors into the enormous council room opened and in walked thirty fresh new figures. The shouts of shock and outrage were instant from those already gathered as dozens were on their feat shouting their displeasure at the thirty former Death Eaters that had just entered the room.

At the head of the group were Lord Carrow himself along with his younger brother and sister Alecto and Amycus, in addition beside those three walked Augustus Rockwood himself. As the shouting in protest continued the death eaters silently stood there. Each of them had come not in their Death Eaters robes which they had abandoned when they had sworn themselves to Albedo and Harry, instead they wore their robes of rank and office.

In the case of Lord Carrow he wore the robes of the head of house of an Ancient and Noble House. Of the thirty former death eaters they represented another full Ancient and Noble House in the form of the Carrows as well the Minor Noble House of Rockwood. There were twelve more Noble houses and after Rockwood three more Minor Noble Houses. The remaining members belonged to houses sworn either to other houses or had no fealties at all. All in all if these new houses were joined to those already serving House Potter it would in effect be a coup as despite the blocks controlled by the other Very Ancient and Most Noble houses of England of which there were four others of which Houses Black and Longbottom were both included, a total of a third of the Wizengamot would be controlled and while each of the sitting members present was permitted to vote their own way, woe to he who defied the wishes of the Lord Potter in votes of interest to their Lord.

Narcissa Malfoy had to shoot almost a dozen cannon blasts from her wand before the last of the protesting witches and wizards would finally be silent. Surprising none who knew here Amelia Bones was the last person to finally fall to silence as she replaced her monocle that had fallen in her rage at the entrance of the former Death Eaters, criminals all before they had sworn themselves to Harry and Albedo.

"Our Lord has already taken these individuals into his ranks and each of them has proven their loyalty to him several times over. Our Lord does not expect you to like them but he does expect you to work with them. Up until now each of those you see before you have protected our Lord's life with their own. They have proved themselves by shielding him from harm and in return for their loyal service he has brought them into our ranks to continue to serve him."

Narcissa scanned the table that was still filled with shocked and outraged faces even with the explanation. True some understood but the Death Eaters were known for a reason and Albedo had never allowed an incompetent wizard to be around Harry. To serve him one had to be powerful, skilled, and able. On top of that she had bound each of them to Harry with oaths just short of unbreakable vows as well. For those in the know of which a few were in the room, the thirty former death eaters were among Harry's staunchest supporters present.

"Now I'm sure many of you were expecting to see our Lord but he is presently in Hogwarts. For those of you who have students there now he will be meeting with them on your behalf and establishing official ties once more. The rest of you will be handled in the time between now and the Solstice. Now those of you who our Lord has already given tasks you will gather those you need and please head out to carry them out. Those who were asked before you arrived to stay behind please do so as well."

The meeting had been short since Harry was not present to accept oaths of fealty and loyalty reaffirming ties but the gathered crowd easily dispersed many heading for outside of the chateau walls where they could apperate or use a portkey to return home. Twenty minutes later there were fourteen individuals left out of the one hundred and forty three that had been in the room at its most full minutes before.

Narcissa, Lord Carrow, and Rockwood were the only new vassals represented. Of the remaining eleven they were Madam Bones present in her capacity as the head of the DMLE for England's Ministry as well as her roll as Regent of the Ancient and Noble House of Bones. Phillipe Delacour sat at the table as well now the highest ranking government official left given his role as France's Minister of Magic. In addition were present Lady Abbot, Lord Flint, Lord Li, the head of a Chinese noble house that had ancestry reaching back even farther than House Potter that had sent his youngest daughter to Hogwarts this year, the girl had been sorted into Ravenclaw. Lord Li was joined by Lord Chang, who's daughter Cho Chang was in Ravenclaw as well and would carry Harry's wishes and commands back to the far east and his allies and associates there. Further more Lord Patil was present as well, like the two oriental lords this man had a house based in India who had sent his daughters to Hogwarts instead of a school in India at the request of House Potter. Finally rounding out the group was Lady Zabbini and Mr. Crouch the head of the Ministry's Department of International Co-operation.

The final two gentleman were not quite so comfortable looking in the situation as the other twelve. The first was Lord Arthur Weasley head of house of the Minor Noble House of Weasley who was looking very much out of his depth at being present in a private meeting that constituted nine very ancient and noble houses, and three noble houses with only one other minor house represented in the form of Augustus Rockwood who was still being glared at by a clearly unhappy Madam Bones. He sat restlessly in his seat while the final member who had arrived only after the main group had left stood watching them all.

Lord Richard Greengrass, father of Hogwarts student Daphne Greengrass, was an independent Lord that owed no allegiance to any of England's five Very Ancient and Most Noble Houses. He was recognized as the leader of the independents in the wizengamot, a small block of noble houses that could vote but had no one to whom they needed to answer and were thus free to vote how they liked. As a rule the independents were members of the Grey although there were two Light and one Dark independents among their number. These were the true swing votes and any faction pushing a new law always considered the independents when considering a vote. True they were few in numbers but given the way the powers were divided if any two of the Very Ancient and Most Noble Houses were aligned on a vote they only needed to sway the neutrals rather than another of the Very Ancient and Most Noble Houses.

Richard was standing at the end of a much smaller table now that each of the other thirteen were sitting at. As before Narcissa sat at the seat for Lord Potter's messenger while the Griffin's Roost remained empty. She studied each of those gathered since they effectively compromised Lord Potter's inner circle in the political field with the exception of Lord Weasley and, possibly, Lord Greengrass.

"As you all suspect or know by now depending on what you have been informed of our Lord will be shifting our position with next week's Wizengamot session. House Potter will leave the Light and enter the Grey. This will no doubt lead to an uproar. We do not expect any major opposition from Houses Black or Longbottom due to Lord Potter's personal relationships with their members. However Lord Slughorn is already a member of the Gray and could prove opposition if allowed to remain unchecked. Lord Potter will attempt to negotiate with Lord Black and Lady Longbottom this coming weak regarding House Slughorn's faction before the session but we must operate on the basis he will prove unsuccessful in time and prepare for the full resistance by Slughorn's faction in the wizengamot."

"Up until now Lord Slughorn has enjoyed the comfortable position of sitting in the center. He has been able to freely network with houses in Dark, Grey, and Light alike and we predict he will not take kindly to our position in the Grey. Shore up your alliances and positions as we expect retaliation both inside the Wizengamot and outside of it in the following weeks and months." She looked to Arthur Weasley for the first time since she started speaking. "Lord Weasely. When House Potter shifts to the Grey you shall remain in the Light and act as our envoy to House Longbottom officially. You will also be responsible for dealing with Dumbledore. Our Lord is choosing this for your role given your family's previous associates with both involved parties. We would also like to bring you in as an associate on several pieces of upcoming legislation that we will be pushing in future sessions of the wizengamot after our shift that will focus on Muggle relations. Please find a solicitor you are comfortable with working in proximity and trust. Your expenses as such will of course be taken care of. Just contact me with the solicitor of your choice."

Arthur Weasley was a little wide eyed in surprise but nodded even as Narcissa turned her attention to the still standing man near Lord Weasley. "Lord Greengrass. We know your family has prided itself on its independence and as such our Lord will not offer you anything more than a truce and offer of friendship in the coming months and years. We need allies in the Grey and you are the most influential and powerful of the independents. With the exception of House Slughorn itself you are quite possibly the strongest house presently in the Grey at all. Our Lord would like to work with you as friends knowing and respecting your family's tradition of independence. Will you accept? You of course have time to think about it, if you agree please have your daughter at Hogwarts contact him directly so he knows. Now Lord Weasley, Lord Greengrass if you will excuse us we still have much to discuss and I'm sure you would both like to get home to your families."

Both men gave nods, Lord Weasley, still uncertain and his body language reflecting that while Lord Greengrass's was much more firm in his movements. After they had left Narcissa looked to the remaining eleven individuals.

"Now let us discuss our Lord's plans for dealing with Voldemort."


	7. Chapter 7: How Draco met Harry

**AN: I now have a poll up on my profile regarding Harry's future wife. Details are in the description. As always please keep the reviews and messages coming I always appreciate the feedback from my readers.**

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Draco Malfoy opened his eyes looking up at the Slytherin green cloth of his four poster bed. Turning his head to the side he looked at where his room mate Blaise Zabini was still asleep and dead silent, only the faint movement of his chest rising and falling at an even regular pace let Draco know that his roommate was alive. Reaching to his beside table he grabbed his wand and cast a whispered _Tempus_ to see what time it was. Draco blinked seeing the time knowing it wouldn't even be dawn yet but he couldn't just go back to sleep.

Without anything to do he silently lay in his bed waiting for sleep to take him once more thinking about the days ahead. He knew his mother had already met Harry's vassals, servants, and followers a few hours previous. That meeting had been scheduled for 11pm and it had been five hours but if he was right some of the members that had been there would still be talking behind closed doors. Draco shifted a little in his bed not yet used to sleeping in this bed.

His role for now was simple, protect and help his Lord. Harry wasn't his friend mainly because Harry just didn't have friends. Albedo had seen to it that for all he was surrounded with people Harry never fully connected with any. He certainly never had friends. Friends implied that the boundaries of titles and social standing let alone economic and political didn't matter. Albedo had made sure that none ever forgot Harry's position. True Draco did call Harry by his first name so long as they weren't in certain public situations but that was a courtesy to years of association.

He wondered how Harry was taking now being at the center of everything. He knew that up until now thanks to Albedo's actions Harry had been always on the sidelines. She had groomed him and trained him up until now but prior to this point without his lordship he had always only been an observer. Albedo had been the one making the decisions. He could remember his first meeting with Harry, he had been three years old at the time. His mother had just moved him to their family's estate in France. He knew his father's actions and death had been the cause of it all.

He had memories of his life in England but only glimpses. Even with his occulmency training he only still only remembered a few glimpses of that time. For Draco's life really started and existed in France. Even in France his mother had experienced a coldness from the wizards of the country but that had been nothing compared to what she had endured at the hands of English wizards. If he was honest with himself Draco considered himself a French wizard, and not a British one. He had been saddened when his mother had told him he would be attending Hogwarts instead of Beauxbaton. But he had known since that one day, that his life would be bound to Harry's.

It had been a hot summer day on France's northern coast. Draco had been told for a week previous to that day he was going to be meeting someone very important very powerful. Even though he had only been three years old Draco had absorbed his mother's lessons in pureblood etiquette and politics as easily as he breathed air. So when he had come with his mother to an estate not far from his family's own he had watched as his mother was met at the gates of a chateau on a hill. Two men stood at the gate one to either side of the imposing black iron banded oak gates of the castle's main gatehouse. Draco could see that each held wands in their hands. He had seen others on the walls as well though they had been too far to see so easily. He stood beside his mother as he had been taught carrying himself as the future Lord Malfoy. While beside him his mother looked at each of the men.

"Macnair. Crouch. We were summoned by Her."

His mother watched as the younger of the two men nodded and raising his wand shot up green sparks into the sky above the gatehouse. Shouting came from over the walls though Draco couldn't hear what was being shouted. A moment later the massive gates opened inward and the two men stood there watching as Draco's mother took his hand and walked forward. She kept her pace slow enough that on his much shorter legs he could keep up with a dignified pace. The two of them walked through a tunnel and out into the castle's outer bailey. Like the dozen or so individuals who had manned the outer walls more stood atop the castle's main keep. Draco couldn't help but feel that this castle was such much bigger than his family's own chateau. It certainly felt older here.

Draco knew his mother knew where to go though, he had seen her reading the letter the owl had delivered the previous day. He had wondered why her hand had been shaking as she read it. His mother's hand never shook, not even when speaking of his father or of all the trouble they had left behind in England. Entering the Keep they were escorted by more men and women as well who fell in around them and guided them through the halls. Eventually they came to a very long hall that at the end there was a stone chair resting atop a low raised platform. The chair was empty but the long room was not as beside the chair stood a beautiful woman with black hair who was smiling.

Draco could feel his mother hesitate though he didn't know why just yet before she walked forward holding his hand tightly in her own. They stopped thirty feet from the stone chair, or rather throne as it clearly was. Draco thought he saw a griffin carved into it. His eyes hadn't missed the enormous banner that hung behind the throne that displayed the silver griffin against a crimson background. He knew from his mother's lessons that this was the symbol and banner of a very important English house. But he couldn't remember the name just then. Keeping his face a mask he tried to remember his lessons and the name of the house as his mother spoke with the woman.

"Lady Albedo. As you requested my son and I are here. If what you promised in your letter is true and you can deliver everything you promised then I will forgive past events and acting on my son's behalf as regent give you what you ask for. But I must have proof you can deliver what you say you can."

Draco's eyes shifted to the beautiful lady standing next to the throne her eyes shifting from his mother, to him, and back to his mother her smile never vanishing away. Clearly whatever his mother was talking about was making the pretty woman, Lady Albedo his mother had called her, very happy.

"But of course. It will not be immediate as my Lord must wait until he is eleven to be emancipated but you know that what I have said will be true. The only guarantee you will have of that is if you and your son uphold your end to the fullest extents of your abilities. Both you as regent and he as the future Lord will need to swear upon your very magic or there shall be no bargain between us."

Draco could hear his mother swallow in the silence of the room her hand holding his a little tighter. Looking away from the smiling Lady Albedo he looked up at his mother just as she too looked at him and Draco saw a tear running down the side of her face. He wondered in that moment why his mother could be crying but his attention was pulled back to Lady Albedo as she walked down the broad low steps of the dais to stand before his mother and him. "Shall I take that as a yes? Very well my Lord is this way. We shall have you and your son swear your vassalage to him and then we will see about your family's situation immediately after."

Draco watched as his mother with quivering fingertips nodded in fearful determination. Albedo led them from the throne room and through several halls heading for one of the wings of the Keep. Arriving at the wing she stepped through doorways that were guarded by a similar looking man and woman who looked like they came from the same family. Each grabbed a handle of the double doors that allowed access to the wing and pulled them open revealing an enormous soaring library that took up the entirety of the wing. Shelf after towering shelf filled to the brim with books of all sorts filled the entirety of the room. Bookshelves rising up to the ceiling formed isles in the room while a wide central isle with soft crimson carpet led into the library. There was no sound from within the library although Draco could see a few people. Most were adults. There had been two girls in green dresses his own age sitting on a bench each reading from a book in silence giving no notice to him or his mother as they passed by right in front of the girls.

Still none of the adults or the two brunette children were the person they were seeking as the still smiling Albedo led Draco and his mother to a private reading room on the far side of the enormous library. Inside was a lone black haired boy sitting with perfect posture, a book balanced on his head while he read another book in his hands. As they entered the boy who was Draco's age turned to look at the three of them. "Hello Albedo." He said in politeness to their guide who smiled wider and bowed before the boy. "My Lord I have brought the members of House Malfoy to swear fealty to you upon their magic."

The boy's emerald green eyes flicked to the side looking at the two of them. His gaze lingered on Draco and Draco couldn't help but wonder why even as he watched the boy mid posture exercise. He knew it well given his mother had him perform that same exercise in the comfort of their home. He would sit for anywhere from an hour to three hours and was not to let the book fall. Draco couldn't help but feel a bit envious that the boy who was his own age seemed to be better at it given how he turned his head and the book remained perfectly still. Draco was still having trouble turning his head to the side and keeping it from falling.

The boy didn't rise for them Draco wondered if it was because of the book on his head that he didn't stand up but when his mother bowed, and he being the well trained son that he was, also bowed, he realized he must be in the presence of someone with a higher ranking than his own family. He was nervous and rightfully so as while his mother had introduced him to people more important than him before they had all been grown adults. This was the first time his mother and he had ever bowed to someone his own age. Looking carefully while he was still bowed Draco could make out a silver ring on the boy's hand that had the same griffin they had seen in the throne room. Clearly this boy was a member of the house who lived here.

His mother straightened up and when she did, so did he. He listened carefully now as his mother spoke to the boy that the smiling black haired woman had moved to stand beside. "Heir Potter." She started and Draco's mind got a little shock at that. The Potters were an English family, what was the boy doing in France? More important he knew there was only one member of the Potter family left. This boy was the one who the insane wizard his father had followed had tried to murder. He knew that his father had served a wizard who had tried to kill the last of the Potters and though he had succeeded in killing Lord and Lady Potter he had died somehow before he could kill their infant son. He hadn't known the boy was here but then no one seemed to have known where the boy was in the conversations he had overheard when his mother had entertained guests or she had taken him to the salon parties of French witches in Paris.

"Long ago our family served as your servants. Only the bonds of marriage with the Very Ancient and Most Noble House of Black ever interfered when my family's ancestors married into their family two centuries ago. House Black has provided for us in many ways as I myself am a daughter of House Black. But they have reached the limit of how much they can do. I ask on behalf of all the Noble House of Malfoy, for myself and on behalf of my son, to take us back into your family's arms as your vassals once more."

Draco's mind froze at the end of his mother's request. Vassal. His family had been vassals to House Potter long ago, his mother's lessons had taught him, but they had moved from vassalage to patronage before his family had switched loyalties to House Black. His mother was saying they would take a step back? Why? Only his mother's well taught lessons kept him from questioning her here in public although his three year old mind could not understand why she would want this for her house. To his mother family came before all, everyone said so and Draco was sure it was true. To her Malfoy and Black alike were family since though she was only the niece of the current Lord Black she was still a Black by birth. Clearly there was something here his mother knew that he did not and so Draco, already months and years into his mother's lessons that she had trained into him since he was old enough to walk and talk, remained silent and observant.

The boy listened to his mother but did not immediately reply instead looking to Albedo who stood at his side. Draco knew that look well, for all the boy's political power as the Heir to an English Very Ancient and Most Noble House, Harry clearly was relying on Albedo for guidance in the unknown the same way Draco did for his own mother. Maybe he had more in common with Heir Potter than he thought he had if they were both in a world where they did not know everything. After a moment Albedo dutifully reached over and removed the book from Heir Potter's head and immediately he stood up but in doing so stood with the grace of an Heir. Not with the hurried burst of energy of most children of the age of three. He moved with the grace of grown adults though he still had the body of a child.

"I, Harry James Potter, ask of the Lady Narcissa Malfoy if she is willing to swear on her magic, and her son Heir Draco Malfoy, if he is as well, their oaths of vassalage and servitude to myself and my family for as long as they shall live."

The black haired smiling woman, Albedo, stood just behind Harry like a dutiful servant but her eyes were on the both of the Malfoy's with fixed and frightening intensity. Up until now the woman had seemed kind with her smile but now Draco was not so sure. Her smile seemed to contain happiness or warmth as she watched Draco and his mother. Draco could not see a wand in the woman's hands so he was not certain where she might have it but he was quite certain if the both of them did not agree, bad things would begin to happen.

His mother had already made her decision before coming here though and she had coached Draco on what to do and say in preparation. His mother genuflected first before Harry and Albedo. "I Narcissa Virgo Malfoy, born Narcissa Black, Regent of the Noble House of Malfoy until my son comes of age on his fifteenth birthday, offer House Malfoy's vassalage to the Very Ancient and Most Noble House of Potter from this day forth. Your enemies shall be our enemies. Your battles shall be our battles. Your troubles shall be our troubles. House Malfoy shall answer House Potter's call to war whenever it is called and shall serve it in all the ways required of us by the Lord Potter from this day forth."

Harry and Albedo's gaze shifted to Draco and he knew now was the time his mother had prepared him for. For the last week his mother had drilled into him the words he would need to say saying they were important and they were visiting a very powerful wizard to whom they needed help. Ever the son and Heir of House Malfoy Draco did not hesitate in the moment and did as his mother had trained into him, acting with perfect movement and grace. Beside his mother he too genuflected before Heir Potter and repeated the same words.

"I, Draco Abraxas Malfoy, Heir of the Noble House of Malfoy, offer House Malfoy's vassalage to the Very Ancient and Most Noble House of Potter from this day forth. Your enemies shall be our enemies. Your battles shall be our battles. Your troubles shall be our troubles. House Malfoy shall answer House Potter's call to war whenever it is called and shall serve it in all the ways required of us by the Lord Potter from this day forth."

Harry stood there as both mother and son were on knee before him having sworn their oaths. He cast a brief glance to Albedo behind him who nodded encouragingly to him and he straightened himself before them and spoke in reply.

"I Harry James Potter, Heir of the Very Ancient and Most Noble House of Potter, accept the House Malfoy's request for Vassalage. From this day forth House Potter shall guide and protect House Malfoy. Your enemies will be my enemies. Your battles will be my battles. Your troubles shall be my troubles. House Potter will share with House Malfoy the glories of its victories and stand as its guardian in the magical world. Your family's crimes and any crimes you personally have committed will be wiped clean when I attain my Lordship when I am eleven years of age and reaffirm and commit this oath to practice upon that day. Until such time you shall be accepted into House Potter's arms and House Potter shall negotiate on your behalf with the Very Ancient and Most Noble House of Black for your transition."

The four of them, Draco and his mother on one knee and bowed, Harry standing before them, and Albedo standing beside and behind Harry, that had been the day that Draco's life had changed. From that day forth Draco had spent more days in Chateau Griffin than he had in Malfoy Manor. His mother was often away on business for their future Lord and he was raised beside Harry. The two boys were joined by the brunette twins he had seen before, the Carrow girls Hestia and Flora and together all four of them were raised and tutored by Harry's tutors in all aspects of education. He had been surprised when Muggle classes had first been introduced but his mother had quickly confirmed that this was what his future lord as well as the Lady Albedo, wished for him to learn and so with that said Draco had committed himself to his studies.

He learned and grew beside Harry and the girls. They were constantly inseparable, mainly because Flora and Hestia's Father as well as uncle and aunt were absent almost as much as Draco's own mother, all in service of House Potter. Draco still didn't know what the adults had been doing in the years he had grown up. His mother's visited at least once a week and during the Holidays made a point of being with her son as much as possible but whatever plans the Lady Albedo gave unto her kept her far from him. Still Draco enjoyed growing up in Chateau Griffin. For all their lessons of being raised as future Lords and Ladies the four of them grew up together. There was distance from Harry but Draco and Flora and Hestia grew close. They were sometimes even joined by the children of other families that served House Potter. In the later years they would find Fleur and Gabrielle Delacour visiting them from time to time as had Susan Bones, the niece of Dame Amelia Bones who still lived in England where she worked in their Ministry as the head of the English Ministry's Department of Magical Law Enforcement.

Beyond them other children as well had come to visit from time to time. Every year certain members of wizarding society's elite were invited to events such as House Potter's Yule Ball. They of course brought their families and children of course and so Draco had at least come to know a little Hannah Abbot who would be attending in their year. Marcus Flint who was four years ahead of any of the group that lived and learned in Chateau Griffin would regale them with tales of what Hogwarts was like. Cho Chang once she entered also thrilled them with tales of Hogwarts. Both Harry and Draco who turned out to be avid quidditch players, were entertained by the stories Cho and Marcus told of the Hogwarts quidditch matches. There was an obvious rivalry between the two regarding their school matches but it was professional and good natured as they were both members of houses that served House Potter and their parents, both powerful Lords made sure that their children did not jeopardize their respective house's political standings over something so simple as a sports rivalry.

In addition the four of them were joined by Sue Li, daughter and heir of House Li which was one of China's most powerful wizarding families. Sue Li already knew Cho Chang of course given how both of their families together through their ties to house Potter that were initiated by Albedo formed a powerful bloc of power in the far east of the world. Both families were allies of House Potter rather than its servants as most of the other houses that surrounded House Potter were. The Patils were a third family engaged in alliance and extended House Potter's reach well beyond Europe by being allied to three very powerful and ancient noble houses.

Draco didn't miss the conversations that were spoken amongst the gathered children in Harry's absence as each of those three families had a daughter and no marriage contracts. Often heirs powerful houses were married early on. Harry could only have one Lady Potter, unless he became Lord Black as well, he would have only one wife but mistresses were common particularly amongst the powerful of the world and a future Lord of a Very Ancient and Most Noble House could publicly walk down a street with his wife on one arm and his mistress, or concubine if a contract was involved, on the other and not suffer any political or social backlash. As such Draco was frequently forced to listen to each of the girls that whispered and gossiped about which of them might be the future Lady Potter.

They were joined by other children of course over the years, most of House Potter's vassals and servants were aware of Albedo's plans for Harry but some were and they were brought in close. Their children were introduced to Harry, Draco, Hestia, and Flora as well as the other children as well at gatherings and their circle of associates grew. Another boy that was introduced into their ranks was Blaise Zabbini when Draco and Harry were nine. His mother and all of House Zabbini were like House Malfoy, servants of House Potter. House Zabbini were former vassals that still named House Potter as their Patron in the wizarding world. Lady Zabbini was as it turned out gifted as a seer and so had for years now at Lady Albedo's urging been marrying men who would soon die to gather the wealth and power of the Italian wizarding elite and bring it into the service of House Zabbini and through them House Potter.

Blaise Zabbini much like Draco had a loving but distant relationship with his mother and with that common ground Draco finally found his first friend. As much as Draco might have wished it Harry would never be his friend. They would be close acquaintances who would share many experiences over the course of their lives but there was an impossible gap in the form of both Harry's status as Draco's future Lord and also in the form of the Lady Albedo who though she bound many individuals to Harry also made sure that none but her ever came to close to him.

Draco had been reminiscing on such thoughts for almost an hour when he heard Blaise's snoring finally stop and knew the Itallian was awake. He cased the _Tempus_ charm once more and saw that it was finally dawn. With a sigh at the thought of his first day of school in Hogwarts Draco sat up and slid out of bed making his way to the common bathroom that all the first year boys shared to get ready and dressed for the coming day.


	8. Chapter 8: Black Hall

**AN: Sorry for the long delay. I've been on multiple work related trips since I last posted a chapter and its been keeping me from doing some proper wordmsithing or atleast my own poor attempt at such. Anyways somewhat delayed but here atlast is the next chapter.**

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Albus Dumbledore sat at his desk as the sun crept up on the eastern horizon shinning in through the windows of his office. He looked at the pepper-up potion sitting on his desk in front of him with a weary gaze. After Harry Potter's arrival and sorting, let alone the fact that his spies, allies, and informants alike had informed him that there had been a mass summons for all those with ties to House Potter calling them all to Chateau Griffin in France.

He hadn't heard anything more definitive from Molly Weasley than that her husband Arthur had been summoned to the Potter ancestral home. The more telling fact was that it was the French ancestral home and not the English Potter Hall. True he doubted he'd have gotten anymore information if it had been held at Potter Hall, the wards there were said to be nearly as strong as those of Chateau Griffin. With the number of Potter subordinates and allies that held key Ministry Positions there was no chance or point in trying to use an approach from the Ministry to crack open and peak inside the operations of Albedo and the young Lord Potter.

Still even if they were held abroad young Harry was a student here at Hogwarts now. He didn't dare hope to get too much information unless he was particularly lucky. By now the children of his allies would have closed ranks in Slytherin and the other houses. Barring a conflict with either young Pansy Parkinson or Heir Neville Longbottom, neither of which were at all likely in Dumbledore's opinion, information would be slow at best. Even Snape would have minimal insight in his role as head of Slytherin House.

The most important thing now was to gather information and wait. The Order was already informed and Dumbledore had spent the time since that meeting locked in conference with the Lords Black and Longbottom. Regardless of the two men's status as the leaders of the Dark and the Light respectively in the Wizengamot. They both had strong ties to the young Lord Potter. Both wanted to see Harry removed from Albedo's care. Neither of course had a true understanding of her true nature or power but they were willing and powerful wizards in their own rights. More importantly both had strong enough followings that they could usually push through any law in the Wizengamot when working together.

It was only now that House Potter's faction would be fully active once more that the future of the legislature was in question. Up until now while House Slughorn held the largest faction by a small margin. Whenever Dumbledore had been able to bring the Houses Black and Longbottom together they'd been able to stop him or outvote him. House Potter's allies up until now had been free to vote their own minds and had usually, though not always sided with wherever House Longbottom voted. England's fifth and final Very Ancient and Most Noble House was as always a watcher on the sidelines of the Wizengamot and refused to directly play the politics by not participating in meetings or votes. It was a shame but probably for the best given the known eccentricity of that particular Lord.

Now though House Potter's faction was back in play. It was anyone's guess as to how House Potter would vote and however the Lord Potter voted more than eighty percent of those under or allied would follow. Only the Ancient and Noble Houses under its banner could really be expected to continue to vote the way they had before the very public return of Harry Potter. Dumbledore would need to approach the Greengrasses and the other neutrals, as well as advising Black and Longbottom to do the same.

Luckily the Greengrass heiress was a first year student in Slytherin, perhaps Black could reach out to his adopted daughter, however much he might despise it, and get her to make friends with the girl and possibly bring her into his fold, it was a long shot but better than no shot at all.

Returning his attention back to the potion sitting on his desk Dumbledore picked it up and tilted his head back to down it all in one go. Almost instantly he felt revitalized as the magical potion re-energized him. Most days Dumbledore didn't find himself needing to partake of potions but after a night without any sleep trying to put plans into motion to deal with the coming weeks and months, he certainly needed it. Dumbledore was physically and mentally ready but he was still wearing the same clothes as the night before. Making his way to his private quarters he showered and dressed in fresh robes before heading down to the Great Hall arriving just as the first students began arriving for breakfast.

Harry Potter hadn't arrived yet but Dumbledore was mildly surprised to see Pansy Parkinson sitting alone at the Slytherin table. He frowned noting several House Black allies at the table as well but clearly sitting well away from the girl. Had something happened last night? He knew Sirius's opinion of his marriage and adopted daughter but the man surely wouldn't have ordered his followers to ostracize her, would he? Fifteen minutes later he got a better understanding of the situation in the den of snakes when Harry Potter walked in with twenty of his fellow Slytherins around him. He was standing in the center and his face was a mask so Dumbledore couldn't get a read on his thoughts but he didn't miss some of the glares that a few of the other less guarded Slytherins gave Parkinson as the group sat at the end of the table opposite Parkinson. His final clue came five minutes after that when the bulk of House Black's Slytherin allies sat in the middle of the table clearly between Potter's group and Parkinson.

He couldn't help but let out a silent sigh as he remembered that Potter was still Heir Black in addition to Lord Potter. Clearly something had happened but where normally the children of House Black's supporters and allies would protect their Lord's adopted daughter they were now caught between his adopted daughter and his declared heir. With no right answer the children had, probably at their parent's urging, decided not to take a side in the issue of Potter versus Parkinson.

Dumbledore scanned the rest of the hall watching the students as they ate. There was a steady stream of students of pureblood and halfblood status getting up during their meals and making their way to Longbottom at the Griffindor table, as well as Potter and Parkinson at Slytherin. It wasn't just their own supporters and allies either as plenty of individuals paid visits to more than one. Of course the allies of House Black paid visit to both Potter and Parkinson but plenty allied to Longbottom, Slughorn, or in the Neutral camp all visited the noble houses. There was of course a lesser number of students beyond those three that were visited and they were without fail the children and Heirs of Ancient and Noble Houses such as Heir Greengrass also at the Slytherin table.

Dumbledore carefully watched the interplay as he sat through the entirety of the morning breakfast trying to gather information from the young students as to who was watching who. The morning mail was particularly heavy for students who had not been absent even a full twenty-four hours and Dumbledore noted that many who opened their mail that morning quickly made their way to pay greetings and respect to key connected students even if they had already done so earlier. Clearly parents had been mailed the night before and now the children were carrying out their parents' instructions and networking as commanded.

Dumbledore diligently and intently watched it all seeking a hint as to how the looming Wizengamot session would shape up with the new political geography. His gaze frequently lingered on young Harry where he sat surrounded by his allies as student after student came up to greet him during the course of the morning meal. More than a hundred students from the other houses had made their way over to him already, and unsurprisingly none of them were muggleborn though he did note more than a few muggle born looking at the shifting patterns of students moving from table to table in confused curiosity as well as questioning those sitting near them that were raised in wizarding culture as to the nature of the student body's movements that morning.

Soon enough the first day of classes was set to begin. Dumbledore only saw Black at the end of the morning meal right when he had to leave, no doubt the man had been seeing to his own House's needs as Dumbledore doubted Black had slept any more than he had and the man definitely was showing signs of Pepper-up use. But with no time left Dumbledore didn't have time to question the man on the situation between Harry and Pansy. Dumbledore wouldn't get a chance likely until the next day as the man had a private dinner that night with Harry, Dumbledore had already been informed of the arrangements in that he would be taking Harry off campus for some private conversation rather than simply dinning in the man's private quarters. Dumbledore had been tempted to refuse but in the end figured it wasn't worth the argument when Black was cooperating on the majority of things.

Dumbledore was simply forced to hope that Black would have time to talk before the end of the week or else the fallout after the Wizengamot meeting on Saturday would likely keep them busy for days after.

* * *

Sirius Black spent all five minutes of his morning meal alternating with eating a few bites of food at the Hogwarts Staff Table, and watching his godson with fixed intensity. Harry's refusal to choose to live with either Alice and Frank, or with him, and shocked him and filled him with no small amount of sad frustration as up until now Sirius had hoped and dreamed that Harry would finally come home. Still all wasn't lost as far as he was concerned. Harry wasn't pushing them away and he wanted to have dinner and get to know his godfather better. Even better than that he had mentioned he wished to visit during the summer or holiday breaks. Sirius of course had agreed to both without hesitation and had immediately sent several owls off after Harry had left making preparations for both of Harry's requests.

Sirius had told his wife he would need Black Hall that evening and it would be highly encouraged that she not be present for the duration. He glared at his adopted daughter at the thought of his wife before his gaze shifted back to Harry and the frustration and anger in his gaze faded. Sirius had a good idea thanks to Dumlbedore's report early in the morning of the gathering of House Potter's allies that Harry had spent at least some of his childhood at Chateau Griffin. As much as he wanted Harry with him Sirius had visited the place once and knew that Harry couldn't ask for a safer place to live barring the former death eaters that the Bitch had surrounded him with. He didn't know for sure that Harry had been raised there but if he had it would certainly explain why so little word of his existence had ever emerged.

Chateau Griffin's wards were the stuff of legend and myth and were capable of keeping out all manner of magic pertaining to information gathering. Rumor had it that even true Divination spells and rituals failed if the subject was protected within those ancient walls.

Eventually as breakfast wrapped up and the students began heading for their first classes, the heads of house had already moved up and down each table handing out schedules, and Sirius grabbed a piece of toast on his way out and ate it as he walked to his classroom. A quick wand flick and his robes were clean of bread crumbs and he looked fully presentable. His first class of the day was sixth year students. He had a class of seventh years and then a class of third years in the afternoon. Unfortunately as much as he would have liked to see Harry again he didn't have the first year Slytherin students until the end of the week the Friday right before the Wizengamot session which meant he wouldn't be able to do much that night anyways as he would be holed up in a meeting with the allies and subordinate houses tied to House Black that he actually trusted. Sirius could only hope Remus would be back in the country in time.

* * *

Harry stepped out of the fireplace into the ancestral home of House Black. While the head of House Black had resided in London at 12 Grimmuald for the last hundred years prior to that the home of House Black was a mountain fortress in the far north of Scotland beyond even Hogwarts. Past valleys, hills, and lochs that only the locals knew the name to was a small mountain that had been carved out its interior millennia before by the earliest of the Blacks. House Black was England's second oldest house and traced its lineage to a time before Merlin was a Woad Warlord and Sorcerer that fought and warred and raided against the Roman wizards and legions.

The entirety of the mountain had be delved and mined out and now it was mostly a tomb except for when the Lady Black formerly Lady Parkinson was in residence. But for a dinner of two heads of Very Ancient and Most Noble Houses, particularly when both were of House Black by blood and by magic, there was only one suitable place. Black Hall as it was known, the ancient lands of Clan Black going back to when the Blacks had been a coven and a clan rather than a simple family bloodline.

As he stood in the massive feasting hall illuminated by numerous fireplaces along both sides of the room that was the size of Hogwarts' own Great Hall, he could feel the ancient magics that defended the mountain curling and wrapping around him. So ancient was the magic that it even had a taste and a smell rather than simply an intuition as to its presence. After a few moments the magics recognized that he was welcome here as a member and as the Heir and pulled away leaving him alone.

Ahead at the massive feasting table a pair of settings had been laid out and set. Sirius was presently standing behind the chair at the head of the table while at his right in the Heir's spot a setting was waiting for Harry. Harry walked silently towards the table and around to his spot his eyes not missing that the left of the head of the table where the Lady of House Black would have been seated was without plate, utensils, food, or even glass. Standing by the chair he politely and silently waited for his godfather and host to seat himself as custom dictated. True they were both powerful lords but he was a guest here, and he was still the Heir, both of which dictated he waited for the Lord Black to seat first.

Sirius didn't keep him waiting long only waiting for Harry to move to stand behind his chair before seating, a sign of respect on his own part that he had waited until Harry was ready before seating himself. Without ceremony he started cutting up the glazed and roasted boar that was arranged on his plate while glancing at his godson out of the corner of his eye.

"I hope you don't mind if we dispense with titles for tonight. We are both of House Black and you are my Heir. We should be able to speak freely like this in private even if in public we must conduct ourselves accordingly."

Harry gave a nod before raising a fork of his own boar to his mouth and chewing savoring the flavor of the succulent dish. Sirius smiled slightly and took a bite himself noting subtle flavors that his house elves had hidden in the dish before reaching for his goblet and washing down the bite with a sip of wine.

"So how was your first day of classes? You Snape, the Flitwick and McGonnigal today was that correct?"

Harry nodded in reply as Sirius took another bite and the eleven year old spoke of his first day. "It was interesting. Mostly it was review given the private tutoring I've already had but Professor Flitwick did actually correct how I held my wand while I was in class."

Sirius stilled surprised that Flitwick could have anything to correct. From what he'd been informed of it was clear Harry had been recieving years of private tutoring in magic before coming to Hogwarts, they surely would have gotten him a training wand through that and would have corrected any errors in his form up until now. Clearly his surprise was visible as Harry continued explaining away Sirius's confusion.

"Oh he recognized how I was holding it, I use a duelist's light handed grip." He drew his wand and briefly held it demonstrating and Sirius began to understand although some part of him child at noting that that same grip was one that Voldemort himself heavily favored. "I had a bad grip on it but only a duelist who was familiar with a number of obscure dueling styles like Professor Flitwick would have noticed and been able to correct me and he did."

Sirius nodded now understanding quite well even as he studied in his mind's eye the grip Harry had held his wand with. Most witches and wizards simply held their wands normally with their hand curled around it. Harry favored a grip that rested the haft of his wand between his thumb and hand while the middle of the shaft was held between his index and middle fingers. It was a style for someone who favored finesse and dexterity over simple brute power. This wasn't a point and cast style grip but a fluid duelist's grip that was used in fast but graceful movements of minimized energy that deflected enemy spells even as they cast their own. Incidentally given that it favored such a fluid flowing style of spell casting chaining up combinations of spells would prove slightly easier than a more conventional grip.

They each took a few more bites, Harry shifting to sample the local vegetables that had been added with his plate before speaking while Sirius continued on his glazed boar.

"I met Pansy Parkinson last night." Harry finally said after swallowing his food. He wasn't about to tell Sirius that she had slapped him but this did need to be discussed. He glanced over as Sirius forcefully set his knife and fork down on either side of his plate. "And what did that girl want?"

Harry silently watched Sirius for a moment.

"She was upset. She said you don't pay her any attention and that you don't treat her as your daughter despite the fact you married her mother."

Sirius took a deep breath forcing himself to be calm. Everything he had done up until now since that night in Godric's Hollow had been done for Harry but that did not mean that Sirius had been happy about all those things.

"Pansy is not my daughter. Her father is a Death Eater who should have been given the Kiss but is instead serving a life's sentence in Azkaban. I have no love for the girl because she is not my daughter and never will be." He sighed looking at where Harry was silently watching him, the boy's face a carefully composed mask that betrayed nothing. "After the second year of you being missing I began to grow desperate that we would never find you. In an effort to get more resources bent into looking for you I approached my Father and asked him to step down and name me the Lord Black. I was already the Heir despite my mother's mad delusions but I had little political power as the Heir. He agreed on two conditions. First I would marry a woman of his choosing. His choice was Mrs. Parkinson. Her father and head of house dissolved her previous marriage and we were wed and she became the Lady Black." He practically spat the final two words as if the idea of his wife being the female head of his house disgusted him. "She of course is an arrogant pure blooded bigot and her daughter's much the same given how the woman and her former husband had raised the girl. I'll not have such a girl as my Heir. You were my Heir anyways even before I became the Head of House. Now I had the full resources of House Black to push the Wizengamot to look for you as much as they could... to an extant."

"As for my father's second requirement he demanded that I never remove House Black from the Dark Faction of the Wizengamot as long as I am the Head of House Black. My belief is that he hoped that Parkinson's daughter or any son that we might have by birth would keep it int he pure blooded faction. Of course he never required how I vote in the Wizengamot beyond that or who would be my Heir. Shortsighted on his part if he thought I would willingly perpetuated the idiotic pure-blooded agenda."

After a long moment Harry eventually gave a single nod. "Very well. Still perhaps a token effort might be made in regards to Pansy. Right now I wonder about her and wonder what kind of trouble she'd get up to when no one is around to keep her from self destructing.

"Sirius raised a brow in surprise. "You think she'd do that?" He hesitantly asked eyeing her with suspicion. Harry simply nodded. "She was a wreck down in the common room last night confronting me about how you loved me more. I suspect she could use with affection." Sirius simply shrugged seemingly unconcerned with the girl's fate. "The girl is nothing to me. I was required by my pure-blood obsessed father to marry a 'proper' pure-blooded witch. He said nothing about any previous children she had. But I do not want to cause trouble for you Harry. I will speak with her and inform her how I expect her to behave around her family's Heir."

Harry silently doubted that this was the kind of talk from Sirius that Pansy had hoped for but it seemed likely that this would be the extant that Sirius currently do for Pansy at this time. Having spoken with Sirius and raised the matter of Pansy he could for the moment only for that it would turn out for the best although he held doubts to the likelihood of such. He mulled over what he could do as he took another bite of his meal. While he was in thought Sirius continued.

"So I know you are ahead in your classes because of your tutors. What do you think of your teachers? Off the record of course."

Harry gave the question a bit of new thought taking another bite. "So far they're all quite good. Professor Snape is much as I've been warned he would behave. As for Professor McGonnigal she is every bit as strict as I have heard but her mastery of transfiguration is evident. And of course Professor Flitwick is as much a master of Charm spells as he is the dueling arena."

Sirius couldn't help but nod in agreement at how accurate Harry was of each of his professors. True some on the Hogwarts like Trewalney and Binns could stand to be replaced and Sirius was often set to wondering why Dumlbedore did not for each but others such as McGonnigal or Flitwick, even Snivelus had all fully earned their Masteries in their chosen fields.

"Well you are right about each of them. Even Sni-Snape. Much as I dislike the man his skill with potions cannot be denied."

Harry nodded taking the final plate of his dinner and easing back in his chair sipping from his goblet of pumpkin juice. Sirius was close behind a few bites himself from finishing as he regarded Harry's empty plate. "If you want more you need only ask my elves would be happy to serve you more."

Harry smiled slightly but shook his head. "Thank you but it is not necessary I am quite full."

Sirius took a final bite himself and as he set his fork and knife down the plate and silver disappeared from infront of them by the unseen house elves that tended to Black Hall. He eased himself in his chair savoring the meal while Harry was silent in thought drinking his pumpkin juice silently regarding the still empty chair across from him that should have been seated with Pansy Parkinson's mother. He looked to Sirius in thought. "You do not regard your wife as the Lady of House Black? You have not adopted her daughter as your own. Will House Black die with you?"

Sirius's mouth tightened as he thought about Harry's question. "I've been thinking about that question since the night I was married and forced to consecrate my marriage. I always intended for you to be my Heir. My father approved at first thinking you would be temporary only but I must admit I have thought long and hard. Thanks to my loathsome parents I am forced to remain a dark faction member and it will forever shroud me. As long as Dumbledore and Frank, Lord Longbottom, are around I can work with them and they keep the doubters at bay but there are those who wonder if I have not fallen to my family's ways and become a Dark Wizard like so many before me. Any child I have my wife will do her best to poison and taint. I am an Auror, she will inevitably spend more time with my child and have a chance to poison any I might have. Perhaps the best would be to let the title pass to you and hope that you can potentially redeem my house. You do have the blood of House Black thanks to your great-grandmother. The ancestral house magics have accepted you. I would let you decide my family's fate. Either by absorbing it into your own and ending the darkness or by passing it to your second child. Either way will make me proud to see it come to pass should I still live com that far off day."

Harry frowned in thought. This was something outside of what had been expected as a likely course. True Albedo had considered it a chance of happening but they had considered it more likely that Sirius would sire a bastard and eventually make him his Heir. Instead Sirius seemed intent on just letting Harry remain his Heir. He would need to contact Albedo tonight after he got back and inform her. She would need to change plans accordingly to know that House Black's allies would fall under House Potter eventually and for now they could be shifted to a secondary priority and focus on other issues of more pressing natures. After a moment he nodded firmly to himself finalizing his thoughts and stood up pushing his chair back slightly. As he did Sirius stood as well. "You don't have to go back right away if you don't want."

Harry nodded in understanding at the offer but shook his head. "I should get back and finish my homework and send a letter to Albedo before she storms the castle." Sirius raised a brow in surprise but nodded as if he wouldn't be surprised if that very thing happened. Harry walked over to the fireplace he had emerged from before and took a pinch of floo powder and tossed it at the flames and as they turned green and roared up he stepped in speaking clearly. "Defense Against the Dark Arts, Hogwarts, Office."


End file.
